


Trinity XXIV - Cocktails, Gifts, and Barbecues

by Joy



Series: Trinity Universe - 2nd Series - Trinity [24]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Barbecue, Cooking, Drama, M/M, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-26
Updated: 2014-08-26
Packaged: 2018-02-14 20:15:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 27,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2201643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joy/pseuds/Joy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Life goes on with the Annual SGC BBQ at Hammond's.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Trinity XXIV - Cocktails, Gifts, and Barbecues

**Author's Note:**

> Nothing but silly, boring domesticity. ;)

Stripped down to his boxers, Jason lay back on the infirmary bed, propped up on his elbows. Janet stepped inside the curtain and he smiled.

"Thought you'd have one of your nurses do the dirty work," he teased softly.

She looked at him, giving him one her classic stares. "I will...after."

"After what?"

"After I take care of your legs. No one's getting howled at but me."

"Howled at?" Jason asked with confusion.

Janet eyed his reactions as she unwound the elastic bandages wrapped around the lower half of both thighs. She peered at the gauze bandage on his left leg, then the right, and nodded. "Have you changed the bandages this morning?" she asked.

"Last night. Didn't see the need this morning since I had to come in here anyway."

She pressed her fingertips lightly around the gauze bandages. "Still tender?"

Jason winced slightly, looking aggrieved. "A little."

"It'll take time, Jason. Have patience."

"Yeah. I just hate being an invalid."

"You're not. With what you went through, Jason, you have to give it time."

"I know that," he sighed with exasperation. He started to say something else but saw a question skitter across her face. "What?"

"How much exercise have you been getting?"

"Not as much as I want," he replied, frowning. "They're doing everything for me and it's driving me up the wall."

"Everything?" she asked, showing the hint of a smile. He knew then that she was attempting to lighten the mood...or change the subject.

Jason didn't hide his grin, he just rolled his eyes dramatically. "Janet, you told me...no wild orgies."

She snorted. "Well, what do you know? You listened."

"Barely," he replied, giving her a long look. "Okay, 'fess up. What was that crack about howling?" Her eyes showed something like a warning. "Jan...?" he asked, suspicious. "I'm not getting another shot am I?"

"No, no more shots. Not till next month."

"So...howling?"

"Ah. Well...now the fun starts."

"Fun?" he asked. As she tugged at the corner of the tape on his thigh, his trust in her, normally sacrosanct, took a header into the pool. "This is fun? You're a sick woman."

"Come on, Jason, you know this has to come off. So...remember that howling I mentioned?" she asked as she tugged on the tape a bit more.

"Oh shit," he hissed, dropping back on the bed, gripping the sheets tightly. "Can't we just wet them down first?"

"Sorry, sugar," she replied as she quickly pulled off the first strip of tape. Hair went with it.

"FuckingJesus!" he howled, biting down on the other colorful epithets that came to mind.

"Gotta get this over with, Jason. Try to lower your voice."

"C'mon, have pity!"

"Here, chew on this," and she pulled the pillow out from behind his head and dropped it on his face. "Ready?" she warned.

"No, wait," he panicked.

"Sonofafuckingbitch!" he yelled, the curse muffled through the pillow, though not by much.

"Two more," Janet warned.

"Wait--"

"You're an evil, evil woman! The Marquis De Sade has nothing on you," he said through the pillow.

"Sweet talker."

"Fuck!"

"Shhhh. Four more, hun."

"Four? You just said two!"

"Other leg."

Jason made a whimpering sound and howled several more colorful - and highly insulting - epithets into the pillow. He pulled the pillow from his face and glared at her. "This is payback for something I've _yet to do_ , Jan. Remember that." He paused, watching her bland expression as she lifted the bandage carefully. "And you are enjoying this **way** too much!"

"I am not," she objected, winking at him to contradict her words. "You're not in that much pain, either, you big baby."

"Oh, sure. This is coming from a woman who waxes her legs with duct tape. No wonder you're doing me yourself."

She gaped at him, then started to giggle. "You'd know if I was, honey."

"Very funny. You know what I meant."

"You could always shave your legs before the next time," she smiled sweetly.

"You already took care of the hair. What's the point?"

"Not enough hair. I could always shave you right here."

"Touch my hair and die, Major. Why the hell do you women **wax** your legs?"

"Self-abuse," she told him matter-of-factly. "We had that nailed long before the ascetic religions started in on us," she added, snapping her gloved fingers over her head.

Jason snorted. "Probably our fault."

"Who, men?"

"Yeah."

"Everything's your fault," she smiled. Jason rolled his eyes again but the remark he was going to send back faded as he observed her demeanor change as she returned to business. The stitched wounds were dry and the pink skin was beginning to fade. "Well, no signs of infection."

He let out a slow breath. "So, what's the time frame on this? Healing wise?"

"Just as I told you before, hun. A few weeks, depending on how quickly you heal, and you always do heal quickly. You'll have to do the physio, too."

He nodded, already knowing that. "Frankly, I can't wait. I hate not being able to do anything."

She smirked.

"Janet...don't start."

"What?"

"Don't start that 'what' business, either. You know exactly what I mean."

She grinned as she began to clean the wounds with antiseptic cleanser. "You know..."

Jason made a noise of impatience. "Jan..."

"No, I'm not saying anything about... _that_...exactly."

"What?"

Her eyes twinkled. "People think _we're_ messing around."

Jason's eyes widened as his mouth dropped open again. "What?"

"When SG-1 went missing, you and I were spending time together. You know damn well people took that for grounds to gossip."

"Damn busybodies."

"You know how people are," she said, waving her hand at the unnamed _people_. "Can't have a male-female friendship without mixing sex into it."

Jason groaned and closed his eyes. "Shit. Sorry, Jan."

"I'm not," she replied, giving him a gentle look as she dried his wounds and retrieved the new bandages. "It's safe and does no harm."

"The hell it doesn't," he said protectively. "Doctor-Patient impropriety, Janet."

"And easily enough dismissed...and proved non-existent. Besides, it's better that than having those 'other' rumors crop up. You've done a good job to keep that from happening. All of you have."

Jason eyed her carefully. "Haven't gotten this far without being circumspect...most of the time. I suppose living like a monk would be better but..." He shook his head. "Considering what we do for a living...and what I've done most of my life...I need the _normalcy_ to ground me, and I think the others do, too. You know?"

She nodded slowly. "I know. It's hard to find and maintain a relationship outside, isn't it?"

He nodded, sighing heavily. "Even inside," he replied, wincing slightly as he remembered how Aaron didn't want to risk continuing their relationship. "Guess it depends on the person." He looked sad and regretful for a moment, then purposely shrugged it off. "So...you think that...contributing...to this rumor is a good idea?" he asked eventually.

Janet shrugged. "People will read into the friendship what they want to. Can't really stop that."

"No, I guess not." Jason suddenly grinned mischievously. "We could always do something to encourage the rumors."

Janet slapped him in the calf. "Like that'll happen. And you're not embarrassing me, so don't think you can," she said, waggling her _gloved_ fingers.

Instead of wincing, as most guys would do at the threat, Jason bit his lip in a terribly teasing manner. "That doesn't scare me anymore, Jan. I'll only get off on it, and if _you_ do it, all the better." He touched her arm with a finger, caressing her coat.

Despite herself, she blushed furiously. "Bastard, don't do that," she whispered before snapping her mouth closed. She proceeded to ignore the huge, smug grin on his face as she dressed his wounds with ointment, and covered them with new, sealable but breathable bandages, ones usually meant for burns.

Jason looked down at them. They were blue. "Janet, how can I wear shorts on Sunday with those--" he asked.

Her lips twitched in a tiny smile as she waved a small, white sack of bandages, ointment, and cleansing solution at him. "These aren't blue, though I wouldn't exactly call them fleshtone, either. Especially not with your skin color."

Jason peered inside. The bandages were a light coffee color. "Well, that's better than blue, I s'pose."

She snorted with amusement as she bent to unwrap the elastic bandage on his right ankle. "Swelling's gone down."

"I know. I could walk on it when I got out of bed."

" _Major_..." she started to admonish.

" _Doctor_...it didn't hurt when I moved it, so I forgot until it hit the floor. Honestly, it only feels sore now."

"Yes, but you're still going to need to use the cane for a while."

He sighed in response. She passed her fingers over the skin of his ankle, making him twitch. "You're gonna have some interesting colors here, but you're healing faster than I thought. But then, you usually do, don't you?"

"I wish," he grumbled, looking at his abdomen and chest. She looked at the now-unbandaged red welts, made by the sharp tip of the pick his torturer had used. Her smile changed to a worried frown as she studied his face.

"I didn't want to ask before, but..."

Jason lifted a brow. "What?" he drawled.

"How are you handling the after-effects of this? Nightmares?"

Jason shrugged. "One. Last night. Didn't remember much of it, thankfully." He hadn't remembered, either, so he wasn't holding back the truth from her. "Mostly, I'm just having weird dreams."  He had woken up from them, however, and had been thankful that Jack and Daniel had been there beside him, their presence comforting.

"Want to talk about them?" she asked as she gently pushed him onto his back to look at the small cuts on his abdomen and chest.

He shivered at her light touch and it raised goosebumps. "Not really. And Janet, stop touching me so lightly. I'm definitely not going to break." A memory of Jack and Daniel touching him made him smile and she sent one back as she tilted his head back to examine his unbandaged neck.

"Didn't think my touch was that light," she told him as she inspected the wounds that were now little more than rough, healing scratches.

He gave a tiny wince, mostly in irritation at himself. "Maybe I'm just being overly sensitive."

She nodded as she moved her hands away. "It's to be expected, you know."

"Yeah, well, I hate it," he sighed.

"And speaking of that..." she said, her voice dropping to an undertone. Jason had confided in her about what had happened, though he'd left most of the details out of his report. "How are you coping with...touching?"

Jason eyed her again, this time his expression a bit lighter. "Janet...do you have to ask?"

She didn't answer him as she removed her gloves and set them on the med tray with the rest of the garbage.

"Okay, Jan, I'm fine. I _had_ a bit of a problem with...touching...and...you know...at first." He glanced at her and blushed.

Despite their friendship, and the teasing they gave each other, Janet knew better than to tease him for blushing about the subject matter. "Sorry, hun. I don't mean to embarrass you."

"Jan, it's no big deal," he told her. "It's not you. I'm embarrassed because of the circumstances. Anyway, I know how to cope with this, and if it weren't for the guys, this healing would probably take a lot longer. They've been through similar stuff, you know."

She looked at him, nodding. "I know. So...they've helped."

He looked down at the bed as he pushed himself up to sit. "A lot, Janet. I really wish they didn't have that personal experience, but I'm very glad they're there for me."

Janet nodded, showing relief. "Me, too," she mouthed. "We're done, so you can get dressed now," she said more loudly and moved past the curtain surrounding him. He pulled on the grey sweats and t-shirt, stamped with the Air Force logo. After slipping on his socks and only the one sneaker he'd worn to see her, he pulled aside the curtain to find Daniel leaning against the doorway of the infirmary ward, his arms folded. He was dressed in his BDU field gear.

As soon as Daniel saw that Jason had seen him, he straightened and walked over to him, his blue eyes searching the troubled brown ones. "How're you doing?"

"She says I'm healing okay," Jason answered, waving in Janet's direction at the end of the ward. They both looked over, watching her make notes in a file folder.

"You feeling a little better than this morning?" Daniel asked.

Jason looked sharply at him. "This morning?"

" _Early_ this morning."

Jason wasn't happy with that and his face mirrored it. "Thought you hadn't woken."

"We both did, Jace," Daniel whispered.

Jason winced. "Sorry."

"Don't be," Daniel said, waving a finger at him. "Ever."

Jason sighed and looked away from him. "I can't help--"

"Wouldn't you say the same thing to me?"

Jason's face changed to loving annoyance. "I hate it when you do that."

"Especially when I'm right."

"You always are."

"No, Jace, not always."

Jason looked at Daniel carefully, knowing what his lover meant. He did want to ask for clarification, in case Daniel meant something else, but he didn't see anything worrying behind his lover's blue eyes so he left it alone. Instead, he decided to change the subject. His eyes travelled over the uniform, taking in the way the fabric hugged the man's thighs. A vision of taking those pants down and bending Daniel over the bed flooded his brain. His cheeks flushed slightly and his eyes sparkled. "You know what I'd love to do right now?" he said as quietly as possible. "With you...in that...over this bed."

Daniel bit at his lip. "Bastard, don't do that when I have to leave," he whispered, scolding.

Jason gave him a wide, genuine smile. "I'm so not sorry. Gives you something to look forward to when you get home."

Daniel grinned back, his own eyes giving Jason that familiar hint of lust. "As if I needed a reason."

As Janet made a noise across the room, pulling them from their 'distraction', the men cleared their throats, took deep breaths, and moved the conversation elsewhere.

"Wish you didn't have to go off so soon," Jason told him, clearing his throat a second time.

"I know, but we've been home for three days and have had enough so-called rest. Time to send us out."

"For what this time?" Jason asked, hating not knowing already.

"Heading off to P3Y-842 for one of Jack's favorites."

Jason laughed. "Mineral survey. Yum." He was very relieved. Those surveys were short and sweet. _Coffee and Cake_ runs.

"What's so funny?" Jack asked as he walked in with Sam and Teal'c...and Bra'tac right behind.

"Nothing but your favorite mission, sir," Jason told him as his eyes rested on Bra'tac. He stepped forward and greeted the Jaffa Master, clasping his forearm. "My thanks, Master Bra'tac. Going back to the Alpha site for more recruiting missions?"

"To paraphrase one of your Earth sayings, a rebel Jaffa's work is never done," Bra'tac quipped.

Sam and Teal'c smiled.

"Good," Jason smiled at him, happy to have been able to say goodbye to the man. "Well," he said, turning to SG-1, then more specifically, their leader. "Sir, don't take this the wrong way, but have a nice, _boring_ mission."

"Ahhh. A _boring_ mission. Be nice for a change, wouldn't it?"

Jason gave him a sarcastic smile. "It would, but I'm quite sure you'd rather be trading insults with a local chieftain than going on a mineral survey."

Jack pretended to be offended and straightened, puffing out his chest. "Hey, I can be diplomatic."

The silence that greeted that was punctuated by an actual snort from Teal'c.

"Hey, you watch. Next mission...diplomacy will be my middle name."

Sam sniggered, failing in her effort to believe him, nodding. "Absolutely, sir. We have every confidence."

"I get no respect," Jack grumbled, sending everyone present a look of payback. Daniel returned the look with a mischievous smile, his eyes telling him more than could ever be said at the moment. Janet walked up at that moment, distracting Jack from his next sarcastic remark.

"So Doc, how's the leader of SG-2 doing?"

"He's healing quickly, Colonel. Should be ready to go back to work in the next three weeks."

"Weeks..." Jason complained, rolling his eyes.

"Don't rush things, Major," Janet warned, "or it'll be months."

"Do what the Doc says," Jack scolded lightly, "or you'll have more to worry about than just her nagging at you."

Janet sent Jack a different sort of warning. "Nagging?"

"Figure of speech, Doc," Jack quickly covered.

"Ah huh."

Jack hid his smile from her and looked back at Jason.

"Fine, I'll behave," Jason grumbled, and gave Jack a searching look. "Now, _you_ behave."

Jack affected an air of innocence. "Hey, I always behave."

"Except when you don't," Daniel added, giving Jason a quick wink.

"Hey, who's the one who gets into trouble most of the time?"

"I'm with you when that happens, Jack. What's that tell you?"

Jack make a noise in his throat.

Jason grinned at them. "Be safe. Or else...sir."

"Not a problem, Major," Jack told him as he and his team left down the corridor with Bra'tac. Daniel lagged behind, giving Jason a last look. Jason looked back, suddenly wishing he could just bring Daniel back home with him and crawl into bed. He sighed and waved him off.

"I'll see you when you get back."

Daniel didn't answer. He simply tilted his head and nodded before disappearing down the hall.

Jason took a deep breath and before he'd even exhaled, a very protective-looking SG-2 appeared in the doorway. Jason groaned, staring at his teammates, his eyes shifting to Janet, narrowing with suspicion. "I smell an escort set-up. Janet, I don't need one."

"No, but you're getting one. Now, remember. No hard exercising."

Jason rolled his eyes at her. "Yes, ma'am." His attention turned back to his teammates. "As for you three..."

"Hey, we're just here to see you, sir. No set-up," Alex told him.

Jason glared as he grabbed his cane and walked past. "You still can't lie worth a damn, Alex."

Alex winked at Janet as he and his teammates followed Jason down the hall.

~

Jason stood on the patio of Daniel's backyard, staring at the space where he'd wanted to start building the barbecue. Sighing with disgust at not being able to exert himself with that sort of exercise, he made his way back into the house, closed the French doors, sat down at the table, and grabbed the three newspapers he'd gotten on the way home from the mountain.

Home. Whose home, exactly? Daniel's home. Not his. Not completely. Jason loved staying there and he would love to stay there permanently, but he still couldn't get rid of that need to have his own place. As much as he loved Daniel and Jack, he needed a place to be by himself.

He started to flip through the rental sections of the classifieds, looking for a place that appealed. As his eyes caught the 'houses for rent' column, he remembered Jack's suggestion to consider renting a house instead of an apartment. The idea had a certain pull, but he didn't have enough belongings to fill a house. A house was more Daniel and Jack's territory. For himself, he really wanted an apartment or a loft, something that was simple...but maybe something that would allow him to alter, to fix up.

Circling a few places, he set the papers down and went to the fridge to get a coke. As he reached for a bottle, he found his hand shaking slightly.

"Fuck, Jason, get a goddamn grip," he growled at himself. He sat back down, grabbed the phone and began dialing.

~

Daniel walked into the house, frowning. Where the hell had Jason gone off to? He set his satchel and gym bag down on the bureau just as Jack came through the door.

"Damn, Jack, that was quick!" he smirked. "Thought you were going home to air out the house?"

"I'll do it tomorrow, Daniel. It's seven thirty and too damn late. Besides, I want to breathe. I'll do it in the morning so I can open up all the doors and windows, then hang around out back. Can't do that in the evening - not for long."

"Good point," Daniel replied.

Jack made his way to the kitchen. "Still got those beers in here?"

"Open the fridge and look," Daniel mumbled as he hit the message button on his phone.

"I heard that."

"You were supposed to."

 _One message,_ the machine said. Daniel nodded and gestured for the machine to hurry up.

"Where's Jason at? He leave a note?" Jack asked just as the message played.

_"Hey, in case you get home before I get back, don't worry. I'm fine. I'm just...checking out a new place to live..._

"But..." Daniel started.

_"...and before you start arguing Daniel...Jack..."_

"How'd he know I'd--" Jack started.

_"...I'll explain when I get home. Daniel, when I get back, we need to do that thing we haven't had the chance to do. Oh, and um, no, I'm not talking about that. Ciao."_

Jack snorted. "Ciao?" Daniel grinned. "And what thing?"

Daniel knew what Jason meant. "Oh, just something we decided on that has to be done before the barbecue."

"What?"

"The birthday present we never got to give you."

Jack's lips widened in slowly spreading grin. "Oh yeah?"

Daniel laughed at him as he went into the kitchen. He pulled open the fridge and grabbed the large eight-cup measuring glass filled with dissolved coffee, specially brewed for the iced cappucino fix he found himself on. Pouring some into the blender and adding milk, he added the sugar to taste. All through the noise, Jack stood leaning against the counter, watching, sipping his beer.

"Doc's going to take your blood one day and find nothing but coffee," he told him as the blending finally stopped and Daniel poured the mixture into one of his tall glass mugs, one of the ones that had A & W printed on the side.

Daniel grinned as he put away the milk, then looked at Jack over the lip of the mug as he took a very long drink. "You like these coffee highs I get on, Jack, and don't say you don't," he said, licking his lips.

"At home, Daniel," Jack argued back. Daniel gave him a smart-assed grin so Jack pushed away from the counter and pressed up close as he backed Daniel against the counter. He nuzzled Daniel's lips without kissing him. "At work, you drive me insane," and to illustrate, he slipped the cold bottle of beer over Daniel's groin and rubbed.

"Fuck, that's cold, Jack!" Daniel shouted as he pushed Jack away from him.

Jack grinned evilly. "That's exactly what it feels like when you rattle off one of those paragraph-long run-on sentences while **on** one of those caffeine highs."

Daniel blinked at him. "Really?"

Jack nodded, sipping on his beer as he retreated to his previous position.

Daniel returned Jack's tease and walked up to him, pressing against him, teasingly thrusting his hips as one hand cupped a jeans-covered butt cheek. "Run-on sentences, huh?"

"You know _exactly_ what I mean."

"Paragraph-long?"

"They all are, Daniel."

"Really? Well, what if I said I wanted to fuck you so deep and so hard for so long that no one not even you could tell where either of us ends or begins because you'd be dripping with sweat from head to toe and you'd be shaking from the constant massage of that delightful sweet spot you have that I just love to massage with my dick by the way and have I told you that I've been longing to watch Jason do that to you while I stand next to you and jerk off, letting you watch me finger-fuck myself before I press my cock against your lips and watch as you suck m--"

Jack set his beer down, cutting Daniel's litany off by kissing him mercilessly. Hands slid down over his ass, squeezing, and Daniel had to hurry and set down his coffee before Jack made him drop it. With his hands free, Daniel returned the squeezing caresses on Jack's ass while their tongues probed and fought for taste.

Jack suddenly pushed Daniel away from, him taking a long breath. "Bastard."

Daniel smiled - a dangerously coy smile - as he put his arms around Jack's neck.

"Huh uh," Jack said, taking Daniel's arms away from his neck. "Don't you dare do that at work, Daniel."

Daniel cleared his throat and smiled that very same smile as he backed away from Jack. Jack started walking after him, making Daniel back up, beginning the chase. In seconds, he was running through the living room before he hit the floor, Jack tackling him to the carpet, pinning him onto his back.

"Daniel, promise me you won't pull that at work."

Daniel only laughed at him.

Jack bit at the corner of his mouth. "Okay, you little shit," and thus came the tickling, digging into Daniel's ribs, making his lover howl with laughter. All thought of the threat disappeared then as Jack took up his second favorite thing he loved doing with Daniel: making him laugh. Jack never got enough of that, as he hadn't seen it often enough in the first five years of their relationship. Whenever he could, he'd make Daniel laugh. Or make him come - which was his favorite thing. The two almost always went hand in hand, usually with sex following the laughter, but sometimes, the reverse happened. Either way, Jack was in heaven. His fingers were just changing their tactile pressure, turning the tickling to massages and caresses, when the phone rang.

Daniel started to get up but Jack held him down. "Jack."

"Let the machine get it," Jack told him as his fingers began to undo the buttons of his lover's shirt.

"I can't. I turned it off."

"Daniel."

"Well..."

With a growl, Jack pushed up, still straddling Daniel's legs, and answered on the fourth ring. "Coburn, you're a dead--"

_"Jack, it's the boss."_

"Oh, sorry, sir."

The look on Jack's face had Daniel slipping into a silent fit of laughter.

_"Expecting the Major, I take it?"_

"Yes, sir. He wasn't here when Daniel came home and I only just arrived myself."

Daniel bucked upward, nearly dislodging Jack. Jack sent him a warning scowl as he slapped Daniel's stomach. Daniel had to bite his lip to keep from laughing.

_"I'm calling to remind you of the time to come to the house and set up."_

"I remember, sir. 1000 hours."

_"That's correct, Jack. Make sure Doctor Jackson arrives early tomorrow morning to set up for Sunday. 0800 hours. I've got errands to run in the afternoon."_

"I'll pass it on, sir. Were Kayla and Tessa able to make it this weekend?"

_"Absolutely. I'll see you all on Sunday morning."_

"Yes, sir. Goodbye." He looked down at Daniel after hanging up the phone. "Little shit."

Daniel sent him a teasing smile. "What's the matter? Did I distract you?"

Jack glared at him as he shifted his position to straddle Daniel's hips. "Yes."

"Oh, that's good. Thought I was slipping."

"Hammond says to tell you to arrive early tomorrow morning."

"I remember."

"I'm surprised you'll get up that early."

Daniel ran his hand over his crotch, grinning as he groped himself in front of his lover.

Jack saw the definite outline in Daniel's jeans. "I see you're already _up_."

"Didn't take much," Daniel told him as he replaced his hand with Jack's. "Needs more waking up. Any suggestions?"

Jack rubbed. "Definitely worth investigating in the bedroom."

"I'm hungry, though. Let's eat first."

Jack guffawed. "Do you like torturing yourself...and me?" he asked, quickly receiving a wolfish smile in response. "Okay, stupid question. Besides, I think we can do both."

"Food and torture?" Daniel smiled.

"Definitely have plans for torture. Especially after that run-on paragraph."

As they made their way into the kitchen, there was a knock on the door, quickly followed by Jason's voice.

_"Guys, open up!"_

Jack and Daniel moved quickly and found Jason holding two boxes of pizza while leaning on his cane.

"Thanks. I didn't want to put these down. Here, take 'em. I've got other stuff in the truck."

His lovers grabbed the large, and rather heavy, boxes and set them down on the dining room table.

Daniel opened the top box. He and Jack groaned.

"Deep dish five-pounders," Jack said, his mouth watering. Daniel sniggered as he went to the kitchen drawer to retrieve the pizza cutter. "What?"

"So much for having sex and snacking at the same time," Daniel sighed as he eyed the pizza.

"There's something to be said for dessert, especially since you still deserve payback," Jack answered.

Jason walked into the kitchen at that moment, catching the funny expressions on his lovers' faces as he set a sack on the table. "What?"

Jack smiled wickedly, deciding Jason should wound up. Why leave him out of the fun? "Tell him exactly what you told me, Daniel."

Jason examined his lovers more closely, his eyes travelling down. "If it's got anything to do with the state you're both in..."

"Oh, Jack was just teasing me about my paragraph-long sentences."

"Ohhhh, those," Jason grinned knowingly. "And you did what?"

"Nothing."

"Not nothing," Jack protested and gave Daniel a challenging look. "Do to him what you did to me. He just indicated how he felt about those sentences of yours..."

"What indicating? All I said was 'ohhhh, those'."

Daniel passed his finger over the pizza, catching some of the oil from the pepperoni. He stuck his finger in his mouth and sucked slowly. Moving in front of Jason until they were almost touching, he pulled his finger from his mouth, running the wet tip over Jason's lips. "All I said was...how I wanted to fuck you so deep and so hard and make you beg me to come and having my dick so far up your ass that no one not even you could tell where either of us ends or begins because you'd be swimming in sweat from head to toe, trembling from my constant massage of your delightful gland, the one I just love to caress with my dick by the way, and have I told you how much I miss watching you fuck Jack while I jerk off and then have Jack suck me off and let me come in his mouth..."

By this time, Daniel was whispering those words against Jason's lips while Jason stood stock still.

"Bastard," Jason whispered, taking a long, shaky breath as his dick hardened amazingly fast.

"That's what I said," Jack informed him, glaring at Daniel.

Jason licked his lips and growled in agreement as he picked up a slice of the deep dish pizza and slowly sank his teeth into it.

Daniel walked around Jason and pressed up against him, brushing his lips down the side of his neck. "I think I heard alpha Jason. Want me to take care of this, Jace?" he asked, sliding his hand around to lightly cup his lover's groin.

Jason wanted to say 'yes', but instead, growled again as he stepped away. "Not...right now," he said, flushed, trying to swallow the food in his mouth.

Daniel sighed. There was only so much teasing the man could take - and only so far Daniel would go. And though Jason may not be able to have sex right now, Daniel knew that Jason would hate it if his lovers changed their behavior around him so he had to act 'normal'. That meant winding Jason up, and in so doing, letting the man know that things would be okay. Daniel looked over at Jack and winked, showing both his mischievousness and his determination to act 'normal'.

Jack had already gotten that message. He cleared his throat. "Jace, would you get me another beer out of the fridge, please."

Jason took another bite of pizza as he grabbed the sack on the table. Inside was more of the expensive import he and Jack liked. "This stuff you mean?" he asked around his mouthful of pizza.

"Yes!" Jack replied as Jason handed him one, cold, but now sweating having been away from the cooler.

"And mine?" Daniel asked, teasing Jason by pretending to be feeling left out.

Jason went with it. He eyed the iced coffee in Daniel's mug. "I figured you'd be drinking that, so since I knew you were out, I picked this up. You can add this to your espressos later on." He pulled out a bottle of Kahlua coffee liqueur from the sack and passed it over. Daniel gave him a hungry grin, set his pizza down and wiped his hands on one of the napkins on the table. He took the bottle from Jason in one hand and slid his other round the man's waist, pulling him in for a kiss.

"How're you feeling today?" Daniel asked, reluctantly stepping away.

"Much better," Jason told him, "but let's talk about that later, okay?" He felt Jack directly behind him and looked over his shoulder.

"Okay," Jack said, and gave Jason a kiss on the temple.

Jason leaned into it just as he took another bite of his pizza. "So, who's doing what at the barbecue?"

Daniel and Jack grinned.

"Well, I'm in charge of the meat," Jack replied.

Jason grinned at him. "Of course, you are. What about the other stuff?"

"Sam and Janet get the duty of cooking the hamburgers and hotdogs," Daniel answered, "and not just _any_ hamburgers, either. They'll be from Janet's special recipe."

"Which basically means she divided her meatloaf into patties," Jack quipped, getting both Daniel and Jason to slap him gently in stomach. He laughed anyway.

"So, what are you doing, Daniel? I can't see you stirring that four-alarm chili pot."

Daniel rolled his eyes and shook his head no. "God, no. The fumes of that stuff'll burn nose hairs and singe off eyebrows." Jason and Jack guffawed at that, mostly because it was true. "Instead, I get to tend bar."

Jack's eyes widened. "How the hell are you going to do that? Hammond only has that small wet-bar. And does this have anything to do with why you have to show up early tomorrow instead of Sunday?"

Daniel nodded. "Well, to answer both questions, I'm renting an outdoor bar and I want to get it up and running ahead of time. The General has an extra refrigerator-freezer that he keeps outside, so I'm going to get to use that to stock the drinks and supplies."

"Outdoor bar?" Jason asked, his wide expression matching Jack's. "Like one of those cantina stands?"

"Yeah, you know those bars they have at certain beaches and outdoor resorts?" His lovers nodded dumbly. "Well, the guy down at that bar, _The Blue Squirrel_ , said I could rent the outdoor unit that he uses for Fairs. I'm going down there tomorrow to pick it up."

"How are you getting it there?" Jason asked. "Your car?"

"Yeah, it can tow the 20-foot trailer, though I'll have to make sure I can tie it on the--"

Jason held up his hand and handed Daniel the keys to his truck. "Use my truck. I can catch a ride on Sunday."

"Um," Daniel started, as he took the keys, "okay, but you also have a duty assigned, Jace."

Jason's eyes went from wide open in surprise to narrowed with suspicion. "I do? Why didn't Hammond tell me?"

"I said I would," Jack told him matter-of-factly.

"Okay, so...I'm doing what...exactly? I can't serve," he said, indicating his legs, "or Janet would shoot me. Too much standing."

"No, but then there's no serving anyway unless you're assigned to a grill...which you are. Hammond has stools, which you can use while you cook and serve the shellfish," Daniel pointed out slowly as another grin formed.

Jason bit his lip, his interest renewed. "Crab?" His lovers nodded. "Cool."

"Lobster, too, if Hammond can swing those," Jack added.

Jason took a deep breath. "Good. I'll be happy to do that. Does he need help in setting up any of the electrical stuff, such as those portable--"

"He's got it covered, Jace," Jack interrupted. "Siler and his team will be setting things up tomorrow, so on Sunday, all that has to be moved is the food."

"He and his team are doing all of it?"

"With Teal'c supervising," Daniel snorted.

"Oh no," Jason sniggered. "I can just see it. He's worse than a drill sergeant. Never raises his voice but looks at you as if you've just committed murder."

"Which means no one will screw up," Jack replied drily as he took a large bite of his pizza. "And he's in charge of security."

Jason frowned. "What security? That's what the perimeter fence is for."

Jack and Daniel nodded slowly. "But he feels it necessary to keep an eye on things anyway. Remember how he was last year?" Daniel asked.

Jason gave Daniel a scathing look. "Barely. I was too busy watching you make a display with the fruit and cream," he informed him as he leaned over and gave him a fondly tolerant kiss. "You were such a brat."

Daniel sighed and glanced at Jack. "Pissed Jack off."

Jack winced. "Yeah, I know. Over-reacted a bit. Sorry."

"Don't worry about it, Jack. I think we have a better sense of humour about teasing."

Jack nodded in agreement, his mouth too full to comment.

"So, Daniel," Jason began as he pulled out a chair and sat down. "Where'd you learn to bartend?"

Daniel grinned as he and Jack sat down, too. "New York and Chicago. Used to do it in the summertime to get money for expenses. Didn't pay as much as a regular gig, but I had fun."

"Gig?" Jack asked as he took a long swallow of beer. "You did that full time?"

"I usually got my work done ahead of time so I could make more money to pay for the digs."

"Didn't the schools pay for that?" Jack frowned.

"No, because these digs were elective, not part of the normal curriculum. Sort of like school field trips, only they were strictly for those taking the Anthropology courses."

"So you did the cocktail thing to pay for those?" Jason asked.

Daniel nodded.

Jason blinked. "Wait, if you know how to set up a mobile bar, that means you worked in cantinas. Where the hell's a cantina in Chicago?"

"New York, Jace. They do have a coastline." Daniel couldn't help but get that dig in there.

"Okay, okay, very funny, smart ass."

"So, did you do any of that fancy stuff, like in that Tom Cruise movie?" Jack asked.

His lovers expected him to say no, but Daniel nodded. "No shit?" Jason asked, and waved his bottle in the air. "Including that fancy bottle tossing?"

"Shaker and bottle flairs, yes," Daniel nodded, grinning as his lovers showed surprise.

"Well, this explains how you knew how to layer those liqueurs for the B-52s," Jason added.

Daniel disagreed. "Anyone with a recipe book, a steady hand and decent coordination can do that, Jace. I know some pretty special layered drinks, though, but Hammond told me that if I make a few of them, I'll have to put up warning signs." He started laughing. "Some of them are as bad as drinking Long Island Iced Teas."

Jason groaned. "I love those but so not appropriate for the barbecue."

Daniel nodded. "Yeah, but the kids won't be hanging around the bar as Teal'c will be keeping them busy. He's planning some water games. It's supposed to be very warm on Sunday so..."

"What's he setting up?" Jack asked.

"Fancy obstacle courses for this pseudo-war game with supersoakers and water balloons, and a huge Slip-n-Slide for the little kids. He's asked General Hammond if he could invite Allie, that girl that helped him when he got sick from that mutant dragonfly."

Jack grimaced. "Yech. So, how come you know what he's planning."

Daniel gave Jack a look that said the answer was obvious. "I asked him."

Jack looked annoyed. "I asked him. He didn't tell me."

"Probably because he's being a little possessive about it and if he'd told you, your inner kid would come flying out and you'd want to join in."

"I would not."

"You would, too. Any port in a storm, Jack. Someone says 'war game' and you're out there with Intar in hand and whistle in mouth."

"Very funny."

"Shit!" Jason said suddenly.

"What?" his lovers asked.

"I need to go to the store."

"Why?" Jack asked.

"Because if I'm cooking lobster, I'm making my barbecue sauce. I have to go get the ingredients. Where's yours, Jack? At home?" He looked around as if he'd missed seeing a pot of sauce.

"Shit." Jack had also forgotten. He stood and nodded at the door. "C'mon, Jace. Time to go shopping." Jason nodded and stood up slowly.

"You want me to put this in the oven or..." Daniel waved at the pizza, and at their expressions shook his head. "Never mind. I had a brain freeze."

Although the three of them liked cold pizza, everyone 'knew' you didn't put pizza in the oven to keep warm.

"Don't start a fight in the store," Daniel called after them as his lovers headed out the door. They turned and looked at him, perplexed.

"I don't know what you mean," Jack said innocently. They left, closing the door behind them.

Daniel knew their professed innocence was a put-on. Ever since the two found out that they each made homemade barbecue sauce, the rivalry had begun.

Jack and Jason had always had a competitiveness to their relationship, but it had always been on the friendly side. They made digs at the other over how many flight hours they had, and there was the constant, and as yet unfulfilled, promise of besting the other in the air one day. Battle skills and combat strategies were another of their favorite 'arguments'. However, neither gave any leeway for barbecue sauce.

Daniel found it amusing. Especially considering that they expected him to be judge between them, but as always, he never could choose. He always, inevitably, left it up to Sam, Janet, and Teal'c. Speaking of whom...he wiped his hands and picked up the phone, dialing.

_"Carter."_

"Hey."

_"Hey, Daniel. What's up?"_

"Getting ready for Sunday. And they almost forgot about the sauce."

_"Uh oh. Where are they now?"_

Daniel heard Janet in the background and he snorted at her reply when Sam told her. Janet soon picked up the extension.

 _"What's the body count?"_ she asked, making him laugh.

"They've only just gone to the store. I told them no fighting."

 _"Leaving it to crashing into people on their way home,"_ she sniggered.

"Don't get nasty, Janet," he laughed. "They won't make a fuss...till Sunday."

_"You're right. Maybe I should stock my med bag with tranquilizers."_

_"Janet,"_ Sam admonished, _"they won't get that bad."_

Daniel smiled. "Normally, they would, Sam. But I think that Jason's injury will make Jack go a little easier on him. A little. Which means no wrestling."

The women groaned on the other end of the phone.

 _"Damn, I wanted to see that,"_ Janet said. Daniel could just see the pout.

"I know, what a shame," Daniel replied, his groin feeling suddenly warm as images flooded his brain.

 _"So, what are you planning, anything?"_ Sam asked.

"Just serving the spirits, Sam. Beer, wine, and cocktails."

 _"Cocktails? Well, I haven't had an Orgasm in a while, Daniel,"_ Janet teased. _"Think you can give me one?"_

_"Janet!"_

Daniel fell out of his chair laughing. Sometimes, he was simply unprepared.

.

"We should've made a list," Jack grumbled as they entered the store.

Jason shot him a sarcastic smirk. "Didn't I say that before getting out of the truck?"

"Yeah, yeah."

Jack reached for a handbasket but Jason steered him away and toward one of the carts. Jack paused, giving him 'the look'.

"Jack, we use the same ingredients," Jason told him as he moved the cart toward the produce section. Jack's brow rose, giving a good imitation of Teal'c, making Jason laugh. "Okay, so the recipes vary, but you know what I mean. No sense in getting the same thing when we can share. Let's just get enough to make two sauces."

Jack paused, considering it, then shrugged. "Fine, but who pays?"

"You make more than I do, so you pay."

Jack gave him another look. "Fine, but you're paying for Christmas dinner then."

"Deal."

"And you're pushing the cart."

Jason rolled his eyes. "God, you can be such a--"

"Because of your legs, no other reason."

"Ah huh, yeah, well, I'm not that lame. You know, if your knees were still shot, you would have the cart."

Jack sent him a wicked grin. "Be glad my knees aren't shot, Jace."

Jason turned away, hiding his smile. "Oh, I'm grateful beyond words, Colonel."

Jack bit his lips together as he headed to the herbs section.

Jason walked around one of the islands and spied the lime. He pulled out his cell phone and hit the speed dial.

" _Hello,_ " Daniel said, still laughing from earlier.

"Hey. What's so funny?"

_"I'll tell you later. What's up? You at the store?"_

"Yeah, standing next to the limes. Are you stocked yet?"

_"Oh, don't worry about that, Jace. I'm going to the store in the morning before I pick up the trailer."_

"Oh, okay. See ya in a bit."

_"Okay. Jace?"_

"What?"

_"No fighting in the store."_

Jason rolled his eyes and hung up. He picked up a few limes, plus some lemon, then moved on to the garlic before hitting the onions - which Jack was already getting.

"You talking to Daniel?"

"Yeah. Thought I'd ask him if he wanted us to pick up any fruit for his cocktail supplies."

"Oh."

Jack picked up the 5-pounder bag of yellow sweets and put them in the cart.

"You'll need white--"

"I know," Jack said irritably.

Jason grinned.

"Did you grab the parsley and--"

"Look in the cart, smart ass."

Jason's grin widened. "I'll grab the sweet peppers."

.

Moving down the aisles, the two men kept eyeing each other. Jason would have wound Jack up further, but he minded Daniel's request...okay, order. No fighting.

"He told you again on the phone, didn't he?" Jack asked as he pulled some items off the shelf.

Jason grabbed more of the same items. "Yeah," he said with a sigh.

Jack snorted. "It's not like we'd be throwing stuff at each other, is it?"

"No."

"Well then...if you won't tell him, I won't," Jack said, shoving at Jason playfully.

So went their _quiet_ fight, where they'd reach for the same things, quietly arguing over different brands of the same items, over whose preference was better. They made a pit stop to indulge in the examination of steak...which Jack _had_ to get for dinner the following evening. In the end, they picked up more than just ingredients for their sauces.

As they waited in line at one of the checkout stations, Jason frowned suddenly.

"What?" Jack asked.

"I'll be back," he said and limped off slowly toward the frozen food section. When he returned, Jack was just setting their groceries on the running counter. He looked over and found Jason setting down five pints of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream.

"Good plan," he said.

Groceries bagged and paid for, they headed out to the truck. "Only one more stop," Jack said.

Jason nodded. "Liquor store."

No barbecue sauce was complete without a dose of JackDaniels whiskey.

.

Done at the liquor store, Jack and Jason made for Daniel's. Stopping at a red light, Jack looked over and found Jason staring blankly out of the window, his expression telling Jack that he was far away and that the mood had changed.

"What'cha thinkin' about?" Jack asked him, breaking Jason's concentration.

"Hmmm?" Jason asked, looking over at him and quickly snapped himself out of his thoughts. "Um, nothing, Jack."

"Didn't look like nothing. Wanna tell me about it?"

Jason smiled softly, but didn't answer. As Jack pulled out after the light turned green, he asked again. "C'mon, Jace. Something took you far away," he asked, his voice colored with concern.

Jason was silent for a moment before answering. With a dismissive shrug, he said, "It's nothing. It's just that periodically I'll remember Adriann's voice in my mind, helping me to keep focused while that...thing...messed with me."

Jack looked down and watched Jason absently rub the lower part of his inner thigh. He _could_ imagine what Jason went through, although the man's torturer was far more creepy than his own had been. Jack reached over and took Jason's hand. Jason didn't look at him. He simply squeezed his hand in gratitude as he continued to stare out of the window.

"I hope you know that if you ever want to talk about it, I'll be there," Jack told him quietly.

"I know," Jason said softly. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I know."

When they arrived home, Daniel came out to help bring in the groceries. Jack tilted his head toward Jason, which was a signal that there was something bothering the man. Daniel nodded, taking the hint. As Daniel put the rest of the groceries away, Jack walked up behind Jason and slipped his arms around his waist.

Jason took the plastic top off his salad bowl and turned his head. His lips twitched in a hint of a smile. "Something on your mind, Jack?"

Jack rested his chin on Jason's left shoulder. "No, not specifically. Just giving you a hug. Thought you were gonna have pizza? That's why you bought it, isn't it?"

"Yes," Jason grinned, "but I'm also in the mood for salad, so I'm eating this now." He picked a piece of ham from his salad and brought it to Jack's mouth. His lover took his 'prize', kissed his jaw, and moved away. Jason didn't feel it necessary to say anything. He simply appreciated the contact.

Daniel felt pleased as he watched them, allowing himself to indulge in a brief feeling of sappiness. He rarely said it out loud, knowing he'd get teased, but he also knew that Jack and Jason did the same thing. They were all such saps at heart, but they'd rather face a few hundred enemy Jaffa than tell anyone.

"Salad sounds good, too," Daniel mumbled as he picked up his salad from the counter, bumped Jason's hip with his own as a thank you, and strolled into the living room. His laptop was already sitting at the small desk he'd placed along one wall and he sat down with his salad, prepared to do his shopping homework.

Jack and Jason, curious as always, had to see what he was doing. They peered over his shoulder and Jack snorted as he saw part of the alphabetical list Daniel was scrolling through.

"Daniel, what the hell names are those?" he asked.

"Drinks," Daniel replied, writing with his right hand and feeding himself with his left. He used the tip of his right pinky finger to tap the arrow keys for scrolling.

"Drinks?" Jason asked with his mouth full.

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Jack told him - his mouth equally full.

"Put a sock in it," Jason replied only a slightly clearer voice as he swallowed.

Jack grinned at him and they nudged at each other as they looked at what Daniel was doing. Jason leaned in and studied the legal pad Daniel was writing on. A line was drawn vertically down the center and horizontally in the middle of the page. On the upper left side, he was writing liquor names. On the upper right, soda. Lower right, fruit. Lower left, condiments and other juices like pepper, salt, tomato juice, V8 juice.

"That's gonna be extremely expensive, Daniel, if you buy the quality stuff," Jack commented.

"I have to buy the quality stuff," he said absently as he wrote down more alcohol. "Certain drinks, for instance, require a mix of vodka and Irish cream. If you get the crap vodka, it'll curdle the cream."

"Daniel, don't buy too much," Jason warned him. "Hammond doesn't want us drunk."

"Don't worry, Jace. I'm just getting the ingredients for some of the usuals, and then some of the more exotic."

"What's that?" Jason asked, pointing at the pad.

"Blue Curaçao. It's a drink with an orange taste, except it's a brilliant blue color. In other words, it makes really cool looking drinks that taste good."

Jack suddenly spat some of his salad back into its plastic bowl. Jason stared at him and Jack pointed at the computer screen. "Daniel...that's not a drink."

Daniel looked at the list in the frame on the right side of the screen. "That's what they all are, Jack."

" _Adios Motherfucker_? I don't think so."

"Jack, it's on the list. And it's been around for a few years. Certainly when I was bartending. I can't believe how big this list has grown though."

"Are you viewing that online?"

"No," Daniel shook his head. "I downloaded this from the Bartending school website. I'll get the hard copy of the software in a few weeks."

Jason suddenly spit out _his_ salad as he started laughing. "Jesus, those names have gotten worse. I notice you've got the names of the sexual drinks up."

Daniel gave an evil smirk. "Oh yeah. Parties aren't any fun without them."

"Jack, look at that one," Jason pointed.

Jack choked. "That's not real. Who the hell makes up those names?"

Jason sniggered. " _Slow Comfortable Screw Against the Wall with Satin Pillows the Hard Way_? Jesus."

"I could tell you what the name means decoded."

"No thanks," Jack returned.

Daniel shook his head. Some things never changed.

Jack suddenly snorted. " _Blow Job_?"

Daniel smiled. "Later."

Jack smacked him in the back, making Daniel actually giggle. "Yes, Jack. It's a drink. There's a bunch of them. I'm gonna have some fun with the SGC folks come Sunday."

"What about Cassie and the others?" Jack asked more seriously.

"Oh, I've got some cool drinks for them, the best of which is called _Afterglow_."

His lovers raised their brows.

"That does sound cool," Jack replied.

"Cassie'll probably ask for a beer," Jason said, remembering his own teens.

Jack rolled his eyes. "You don't know the half of it, Jace."

"By the way, Janet says that Cassie's got a crush on you," Daniel said purposely matter-of-fact.

"On Jack?" Jason asked, surprised, and not a bit sickened as Jack was like Cassie's surrogate father. That image was just--

"No, Jace, on you," Jack told him.

Jason choked. "What? Me?" he asked, hastily swallowing. "She doesn't even know me."

Daniel shrugged. "It's never stopped her before."

Jack was sniggering while Jason's eyes bugged out of his head. There was suddenly those memory flashes of his teen years, having to turn down dates, getting that look from girls...all of them not knowing that he preferred guys. Imagining _Cassie_ giving him 'the eye' made him panic.

"Okay, that does it. I'm staying home."

Jack and Daniel burst out laughing. "Jason," Jack told him firmly, once he'd stopped laughing that is, "You're not staying home. You can handle a teenager."

"I'd rather face a company of Goa'uld."

Daniel bit his bottom lip, unable to keep the smile from his face. He turned in his chair and pulled Jason toward him. "It's so cute."

Jason shoved at him but Daniel held onto his waistband. "No, no, Daniel, don't you start. It's not cute. It's..." He made an inarticulate growling noise, making his lovers continue to laugh. "It's...shit. It's almost obscene."

"Jason, she's not going to be jumping your bones," Jack told him as he moved in behind him and snuffled his neck. Jason brushed him away irritably and pulled out of Daniel's grasp.

"I'm glad you two find this amusing but I'm not too...thrilled...with the idea. Besides, I thought she had a thing with that kid, Dominic?"

Daniel made a noise between his teeth. "They, uh, broke up."

Jason groaned. "This is worse. How long ago?"

"A few months ago."

"Yep, definitely worse."

"How so?" Jack asked.

"She's on 'the rebound'," he said, making quotation marks with his hands. "Which means she's going to be clingy." Saying the word out loud made him groan again. He took a deep breath. "Okay, I know, I'll just try to be as boring as possible. That'll send her running." He saw the smirks. "Okay, no cracks from either of you. Sheesh."

He suddenly wasn't all that hungry and set his salad bowl in the garbage. "TV gonna bother you if I turn it on?" he asked Daniel as he plopped down on the couch.

"No, watch away," Daniel said, waving a hand in the air as he went back to taking down notes.

Jack set his salad bowl down on the coffee table and sat down next to Jason, their legs touching. He brushed his fingers over Jason's thigh.

"So, what'd Janet really have to say about your wounds? Healing okay?"

Jason laid his head back against the sofa and looked at Jack. Jack did the same, mirroring his actions. He still held a curve of a smile at the corner of his lips.

"Don't make fun," Jason told him, annoyed.

"I'm not. I'm asking you about your legs."

"You have an ulterior motive."

"I do not. I wanna know."

Jason said nothing, still believing Jack was gearing up for a round of 'schoolgirl crush' teasing.

"Jace, I'm serious. I'm dropping the other thing. I'll tease you about it later. What'd Janet say?"

Jason looked into Jack's eyes and they did look sincere. He sighed. "You were there, Jack. She said I was healing well. Come Sunday, I'll be able to stand more often, putting more pressure on my legs."

Jack grinned and ran two fingers along his thigh, above where his wounds were. "Any mention about exercise before then?"

"No... _exercise_ ," Jason sighed heavily, looking down as Jack traced a lazy pattern over his jeans. With reluctance, he pulled Jack's hand away, though he kept their fingers entwined. "Unfortunately, Jack...I can't." When Jason turned his head toward him, Jack captured his lips and slowly moved his tongue around Jason's, giving him a slow, deep kiss. When they broke apart, Jack sighed and kissed his temple.

"Just let me know when."

Jason nodded.

Jack didn't want the moment to turn to dwelling, so he picked up the remote and began surfing. "Let's see if there's anything on."

.

Around 4 a.m., Daniel woke abruptly. He blinked, taking in the encroaching dawn outside. He frowned and looked at the clock, wondering what it was that made him wake and irritated that he only had two more hours before he was _supposed_ to get up...on a damned Saturday. Lying between Jack and Jason, he looked at his lovers. Jack was fast asleep. He turned over and looked at Jason...and found him wide awake. Jason lay staring up at the ceiling, his face and bare chest shining damp with sweat. Daniel frowned with concern.

"Bad one?" he asked, snuggling closer, placing an arm around him.

Jason sighed but made no effort to say yes or no.

"Wanna talk about it?" Daniel asked, though he knew Jason probably didn't want to--

"He...it...had me in his mouth. I can't get the feel of it out of my head."

Daniel blinked and sat up, turning around to face him. "You never said," he spoke softly.

"No...I couldn't."

They both felt the bed move and found Jack awake as well.

"You heard me?" Jason asked.

"I did," Jack answered quietly. "What do you want to do about that nightmare...about that memory? Anything?"

Jason sighed. "I don't know. The thought of either of you going down on me is arousing, but the moment I think about feeling the warm...wet...all my mind focuses on is..." He shuddered, slammed his fist into the mattress, and rolled away from them, unable to look at them, to see their expressions.

Daniel looked at Jack and Jack inclined his head at Jason. Daniel nodded back. He pulled at Jason. "C'mon, Jace. Move to the middle." He moved off the bed and waited for Jason to roll over. He did, but Jason's eyes remained closed, still unwilling to look at his lovers.

Daniel lay down, sandwiching Jason between himself and Jack. They held him for a long time, and before Jason knew it, he'd fallen into a peaceful sleep.

.

Daniel awoke to his alarm two hours later and found Jason still in bed, for once, sleeping in. He heard Jack moving about in the kitchen and sighed, wondering if the man would ever sleep in. He kissed Jason's temple and headed off to the bathroom.

Later on, as Daniel massaged his scalp with the shampoo, he heard someone enter the bathroom. The sounds weren't loud enough for him to distinguish who it was, and he didn't really want to know, preferring to play a guessing game with himself. When the curtain parted, he grinned.

"Breakfast?" he asked, closing his eyes and turning to rinse his hair.

Jack kissed his wet mouth, showing Daniel he was hungry for more than food as his hands and arms slid around to his waist and back, caressing, encouraging. Daniel felt the press of Jack's cock against his own and his organ began to thicken. His lover broke the kiss reluctantly and whispered in his ear, "Fuck me."

Daniel pulled him into a long, deep kiss, his hands moving over Jack's body, finally resting at his ass, his cock. Jack again broke their kiss, but this time, gasping as Daniel's fingers curled around his dick and stroked. Daniel smiled seductively and pushed Jack against the far end wall. He slowly dropped to his knees and without ever having taken his fingers from Jack's cock, began to pump with firm, sensuous pulls, watching Jack's lustful expression with a great deal of satisfaction.

Jack closed his eyes and gave himself over to Daniel's touch, moving his hips in time with the motions of his lover's hand. As his breath hitched, letting Daniel know that the sweet, sharp sensation of pleasure was flowing through him, Daniel took the head of his cock into his mouth and sucked - once, and with tantalizing firmness. He pulled away and pumped the shaft more quickly, all the time watching Jack's reactions.

"More?" he teased, slowing down his hand.

"Please," Jack whispered.

Daniel moved his other hand lower and quickly inserted a finger into Jack's rectum, teasing as he hooked it. Jack gasped, his eyes opening wide. "Inside me."

Daniel smiled and stood, turning Jack to face the wall. He grabbed the lube from the shelf, coated himself quickly, and pressed himself against Jack's body, the head of his cock rubbing against his lover's sphincter. Jack growled his want so without further delay, Daniel pushed inside, groaning as he sheathed himself deep.

.

Jason lay in bed, slowly roused by the sounds of lovemaking coming from the bathroom. He stayed motionless, listening to the murmured voices, slightly muffled by the water.

"Oh yeah!" Jack suddenly yelled out.

"You feel so fucking good," Daniel told him, his voice dark, husky.

"God, so do you," Jack replied.

Jason's cock twitched in reaction their words and the warmth began to travel throughout his body. Throwing aside the light blanket, he gingerly pushed off his boxers. Taking his shaft in hand, he stroked himself slowly, lazily, loving the periodic sparks of pleasure that shot through him. He lost himself to the sounds as they intensified, becoming louder. After a moment, Jason picked up on the slapping of skin on skin. It sent a shudder through him. The sound was increasing in tempo, getting louder, and judging by the familiar breathing and groaning noises, it was Daniel that was inside Jack. He closed his eyes, easily seeing the two of them in his mind, wet with water and sweat, each driving the other toward the edge.

His hand firmed around his shaft, pulling sharply, making himself gasp as the pleasure passed over him in small, acute spikes. He cupped his balls, massaging, rolling them slightly between his fingers, squeezing hard at times, staving off the approach of orgasm. It was harder to do now, as the slapping sounds told him that Daniel was slamming himself into Jack with everything he had. Jason was so familiar with that sound...that feeling. His balls ached to feel it again.

"Yes," he whispered to himself. "Come...come..." he chanted just as his lovers cried out their climaxes. Jason's breathing quickened and he slowed down his strokes to make his pleasure last longer. The image of his lovers sucking him to orgasm suddenly popped into his mind, and for a moment he froze - the decidedly _wrong_ image and sensation invading his mind. With determined purpose, he stroked faster, returning his thoughts to the _correct_ images and feelings, pushing away the fear and revulsion, forcing his body to react with arousal for his lovers.

It worked, slowly but surely, and he spread his legs, wincing with frustration as the muscles twinged and pulled at his stitches. Ignoring the slight pain, but not stretching his legs further, he thrust his hips upward, imagining his lovers' tongues over his cock, circling around his inner thighs...and tonguing his ass.

A sound made him open his eyes and he found Jack standing in the doorway, watching. Without a word, he entered, approaching the foot of the bed. His dark, sated but still aroused eyes asked permission. Jason's lustful gaze sent him permission, mixed with a strange sort of apprehensive excitement. Jason increased the pumping of his cock as Jack crawled toward him, his face hovering above his cock. Daniel entered the room then, distracting him slightly. He lay down on the bed, his damp fingers running over Jason's chest to tweak and play with his nipples.

Jason swallowed, watching the two of them with intense need and want. He wanted to speak, but couldn't. He didn't know what to say and was afraid that if he spoke, he'd break the spell he'd put himself under. Instead, he allowed only a moan to escape his throat, his eyes focused on Jack's as the man stared down at his cock, then up into his eyes. Asking.

Jason's jaw worked silently, afraid to nod, afraid to say yes - afraid to spoil it. He squeezed his balls slightly, pulled and twisted the shaft in his hand, feeling his orgasm approach. A strange sound of want came from his throat. He wanted Jack's mouth on him so badly and afraid to say anything, his eyes widened as Jack lowered his mouth toward the glistening head of his cock. He moved his hand down the shaft, silently daring Jack to take the head. Jack smiled slightly and opened his mouth. He licked his lips but didn't make a move. Jason let out a soft cry and thrust upward. He wanted to feel him now. He needed it something fierce. His heart hammered in his chest and he felt his balls tightening. Another cry escaped his throat and the look of recognition on Jack's face made him whisper something that sounded like "Yes."

He pulled at his shaft in one long upstroke, squeezing his glans, and when his hand moved downward, so did Jack's mouth. Jason gasped loudly at the heat and wetness - and didn't see or feel the fear. All he felt was Jack.

And Daniel. Daniel's mouth latched onto his, his tongue diving into his mouth just as Jack began to lovingly suck him. He released his shaft, letting Jack take over, and wound his fingers through his lover's hair. With an almost frustrated desperation, he thrust up, encouraging Jack to take all of him. He did.

Daniel broke the kiss and moved down, trailing kisses lightly, carefully between his wounds, ending at his navel, teasing the sensitive flesh with the tip of his stiffened tongue. The wet caresses sent small sparks straight to Jason's groin causing him to release one hand from Jack's hair to card through Daniel's.

"Yes, yes," he said, his voice rising, wanting it so badly. "Make me come..." He suddenly gasped as he felt Daniel's hand move between his legs and his eyes widened with lustful ecstasy as Daniel slid two _lubed_ fingers deep inside him. Jason hadn't even heard the cap of the lube popping open. Daniel was a sneaky bastard. "Fuck yes, Daniel."

"Like that?" Daniel asked as he wasted no time, thrusting and twisting, _opening_ Jason. Jason's eyes widened.

"Yes, but...Daniel?" he asked, knowing damn well that neither of his lovers would be up for fucking him anytime soon.

Daniel leaned over and nibbled short kisses over his lips. "Gotta surprise for you, Jace." Jack made a growling noise of agreement, then pulled his mouth from Jason's cock.

"You got it?" he asked Daniel.

Daniel smiled wickedly, then nodded at the end of the bed. Jack looked down as Daniel removed his fingers...and spied what they were talking about. "You're one clever bastard."

"What are you two..." Jason started, but inhaled sharply as Jack's mouth descended over his glans. "Daniel?" he asked as Daniel bit gently over a nipple.

"What?"

"What did you get?"

"Just a little something to play with. Spread your legs as wide as you can, Jace."

Jason heard the cap of the lube and felt lubed fingers spreading the stuff thickly over his anus. His eyes widened. The words _play with_ meant only one thing. A toy.

Oh God.

Jack's fingers were now massaging his balls and Daniel's...they pressed something warm and solid against his rectum. "Oh God," he said just as Daniel pushed the head of the dildo inside. Jason dropped his head back and closed his eyes, his fingers finding the bedcover and clamping down. The dildo was...amazing.

Jack smiled at Daniel, signalling as they watched Jason's reactions. They were winding him up slowly, making sure that he had time to change his mind before they took over. Daniel pushed the dildo in deeply, and waited a moment before pulling it back out, only to thrust inside another inch.

"Is it okay? Do you like it?" Daniel asked in his ear, his voice soft, caring, yet deep and seductive.

"Yes," Jason breathed. He was amazed that it was okay. Relieved that his body was reacting favorably to both his lovers' attentions.

Daniel pushed in another inch, distracting him from his inner thoughts. Jason's eyes widened again. He felt so full...and Daniel was still pushing.

"My God, how long is that thing?"

"Ten inches, baby. Ten full inches." He pulled out halfway and began to thrust, making Jason writhe and pump his hips up and down. Jack held on, sucking softly, running his tongue over the glans, probing the slit, lapping up the pooling pre-come.

The dual assault from the dildo and Jack's mouth was bringing Jason close. So close. "Goddamn it, make me come."

Daniel smiled and angled the toy, thrusting faster. Jason's eyes popped open as the dildo found his gland.

"Looks like we hit pay dirt, Jack."

"Fucking hell, you sure did," Jason gasped, arching back. His panting increased and he stopped talking. Daniel increased the speed of his thrusts, still angling for his prostate. Jason found he couldn't lie still anymore as he began to love that damned dildo.

"Harder," he finally spoke, though the word came out as an airy whisper.

Daniel smiled and thrust faster, his fist ramming against Jason's ass. Jack took that moment to suck...and suck hard.

"Ah God!" Jason cried out, his fingers white-knuckling the bed. It was all he could do to keep himself on the bed as he came hard, his seed spilling into Jack's mouth in an explosion of ecstasy. He wasn't aware of much for a minute as his lovers held onto him through his tremors, making sure his legs didn't go through much strain. But more than that, they held him because they knew Jason had fought his fear.

They were right. The pleasure was exquisite...and Jason experienced a relief so profound he nearly cried.

.

Daniel grabbed his keys, his list, and stuffed the remaining piece of toast into his mouth. "I'll see you guys later."

"You sure you don't want any help?" Jack asked.

Daniel smiled. "I can handle it. Besides, I think you have cooking to do, don't you?" He made his way to the door but Jason stopped him.

"Hold up, Daniel." He moved quickly from the kitchen table and went after him, pulling him into a hug. He pressed his lips against his ear. "Thanks."

Daniel turned his face and kissed him lovingly, a short frisson of arousal thrown in for good measure. "My pleasure, as always," he grinned, biting his lip as he gave Jason a wink. "More later."

"Promise?" Jason asked, sending him a doubtful look, as if Daniel were humoring him.

Daniel shook his head emphatically. "No, no, no. No promise. Threat. Big. Huge." He grinned evilly. "HHuge"

Jason smiled back, loving the man more than ever. "Even better."

Daniel stepped away and opened the door. "Now, play nice. I don't want to find my kitchen in tatters, either, or I'll make the two of you sleep outside." With a wicked grin at the very sincere threat, he left, closing the door behind him.

Jason turned and found Jack watching him over the rim of his coffee cup, the newspaper dropped temporarily in front of him. He grinned roguishly and returned to the table, standing next to him. "And you...thanks."

Jack let a smile show around his coffee cup, his eyes sparkling. "Always. And like the man said, more later."

Jason sighed, feeling better for the first time in four days. "Okay...so...let's turn on the music and get down to business. I got dibs on the large pot."

The arguing began...and in the one and only compromise, a baseball game was put on instead so Jack could listen to it in the background.

~

Jack was blindfolded. He felt silly. He'd only just come back from his house and hadn't even taken off his jacket. Here he was being guided down the hallway toward what he was sure was the door to the garage. "What's in the garage?" he asked.

"You'll see," his lovers replied.

"What are we going to do in there?" Jack asked, a lop-sided grin creasing his cheek. Daniel and Jason snorted.

"Nothing," Daniel told him.

Jack made a groaning noise of disappointment.

"Just wait," Jason told him. "Steps now," he warned.

Jack stepped down them easily, as he was very familiar with their depth and length. "Now what?" he asked. Daniel left his side, but Jason remained next to him. Jack knew it was solely to make sure he didn't remove the blindfold. "Well?" he prodded. He next heard the whipping motion of cloth, as if Daniel were uncovering something. The next sound was of the garage door lifting open. He could just see the light peeking in at the top and bottom of his eye cover. "Come on, tired of waiting here."

Daniel nodded at Jason so Jason stepped away from Jack, moving over next to Daniel.

"Okay, Jack, remove the blindfold," Daniel told him.

Jack pushed it up over his eyes and off his head, blinking rapidly to accustom his eyes to the shadowy lighting of the garage. Glinting silver and black metal shone at him and he blinked again.

A motorcycle. Not just _any_ motorcycle, either. A Harley Davidson, and if he was correct, the new V-Rod. His mouth dropped, knowing damn well that this would have cost Daniel and Jason a pretty penny.

"Holy shit," he whispered, walking over and running a hand over the left handlebar, staring down at the almost science-fiction lines of the machine, and its wonderfully curved, twin exhaust pipes, with elaborately-made covers. "Wow." He ran his fingers over the winged logo on the tank, and stared at the special 100th anniversary plate sitting just behind the handlebars.

Daniel and Jason nudged each other, grinning madly. Jack loved it. They waited patiently, watching as Jack examined his new bike, going over every inch, as if committing it to memory. Then came the moment they were waiting for. Jack finally, _finally_ , saw the keys in the ignition and how much gas was in the tank. He looked over at them and grinned. He grabbed the black helmet that sat on the nearby table, edged the helmet over his head until it fit securely, and last but not least, put on his sunglasses. Climbing onboard, he pulled the bike off its kickstand and began to roll it backward out of the garage.

"I'll assume this thing is fully licensed?"

"And in your name, Jack," Jason told him.

Jack grinned and turned his face away to look behind him, now knowing why Daniel had pulled to one side of the brick driveway. Jack had plenty of room. Feeling his jacket and making sure his wallet was there, he started up the machine. A satisfying purr filled the air. Not loud and noisy. Jack hated the sound of those bikes, and even if he didn't, there was no way he was cannibalizing this magnificent looking exhaust. He stretched his legs out, easily clearing the exhaust, should the covers heat up like other machines. Passing his hand over the tank, he felt as if he were missing something, then knew what it was.

"Going for a ride, boys. Back in a while."

"We figured," Daniel told him. "Stay within the county, huh?"

Jack grinned mischievously. "Where's the fun in that?" At the looks his lovers gave him, he rolled his eyes. "Fine. I'll just go for a short ride."

Jack waved at him and pulled away. Daniel and Jason sighed as they watched him go. "We did good," Jason said.

"Yeah, we did." Daniel turned and looked at him, and grabbed Jason gently by the elbow and escorted him back inside the garage and into the house.

"Daniel?"

"So...tell me how the rivalry went?"

Jason groaned. "He got all protective of his recipe, just as I knew he would. He took his share of the ingredients and went to make his sauce at his house."

Daniel snorted with exasperation. "Jesus. What about the smell from those damn insect bombs?"

"He said he'd air out his house, and also stated that the smell of the sauce would overpower the bomb spray."

"Oh brother."

"Well, I gave him half an hour, then called to ask if he'd changed his mind."

"And?"

Jason gestured at the single pot on the stove.

"Ah. Guess the stuff dissipated enough or he wouldn't have risked contaminating his sauce."

Jason nodded. "So," he said, setting his cane on the kitchen table and snaking his hands around Daniel's waist. "How'd the setup go?"

"Fine," Daniel nodded. "Wanna detailed play by play?"

"Sure, why not. I'll then tell you about the other phone calls."

"What phone calls?"

"Jack's taunting."

"Oh no," Daniel said, laughing.

Jason rolled his eyes. "Yeah, he fired the first salvo, the sonofabitch."

Daniel started laughing even more. "Okay, so tell me."

.

Sam heard the distinctive sound of a Harley engine pulling up into her driveway and frowned. Couldn't be Siler. He was busy at Ferretti's. She pushed up off the floor of her garage and set down the ratchet. A horn beeped and her frown deepened in confusion. She went over and pulled up the garage door and stared at the man parked halfway up on her driveway. He was clad in a new black leather jacket and gloves...and boots. And the bike...Holy Hannah. Sam couldn't figure out which looked better, Jack or the bike.

"Wow...sir."

Jack grinned and took off his helmet. "Just what I said when I got this baby. This..." he said gesturing, "is my late birthday present."

Sam's mouth dropped. "I should be so lucky to get a present like that. They really love you." She pressed her lips together. "That does it. I'm officially jealous. Nice duds, too, sir."

"Thanks, Carter," Jack replied.

Something in his voice alerted Sam's ears. Something smug. She tilted her head, folded her arms, and nodded. "Oh, I get it. You're here to gloat because I'm still working on my bike."

"You're a perfectionist, Carter. It was running just fine the last time I saw you on it. You hear something slightly off and you tear it apart."

"Wouldn't you?"

"No. It's supposed to make noise."

"Sir, that's not funny."

Jack sniggered. "Probably not...but...it is. So..."

"So...what's with the helmet? Colorado doesn't have a helmet law."

"Yeah, but when driving downtown, Carter, I'd like my head protected, if you get my drift. Driving further away from town, I won't be wearing it."

She nodded sarcastically. "Good call, sir. You've got that spiky cowlick on the back of your head and the helmet would just make it worse...well, you know, for work."

Jack passed his hand over his head, feeling the short hairs sticking straight up. "Oh well," he shrugged.

"So..."

"So...I actually stopped by on the off-chance that you'd want to match rides."

She sighed heavily. "No. Maybe next week."

Jack shook his head at her as he grinned. "Where's Teal'c? Still helping Ferretti buy that stuff for the kids tomorrow?"

She nodded as Jack started the bike back up and backed himself carefully down the drive. She gestured sarcastically. "Next time, call first. You won't have wasted a trip."

Jack sent her another of his sarcastic grins. She felt like hurling a wrench at him. "I was just p--"

"Passing by, yes, sure you were, sir. See you tomorrow. Say hi to Daniel and Jason for me."

"Will do, Carter," he said, grinning fiendishly as he backed the bike onto the road.

.

Daniel and Jason were locked in combat. They had kept tieing each other in a match of rock-paper-scissors so they were now in a death-match chess game.

"Surrender," Jason told him.

Daniel smiled. "Very well, I accept."

Jason laughed softly. "I've seen that film."

"The drumstick's mine, you'll see."

"Ah huh. This is the only draw back in a threesome, Daniel."

"Either that or chickens need to start growing three legs."

"We really should have had that steak instead."

"Yeah, but then, I like watching Jack bite into dark, thigh meat."

Jason started laughing again, the light in his eyes matching.

The sight was something Daniel loved to see. His lover was happy, relaxed, not burdened by his injuries. He vowed to keep up the distractions, to continue to help Jason focus on anything and everything. He hated seeing him down, depressed...fearful. Last night's nightmare had been a bad one and Daniel didn't want him having another one anytime soon. It was one of the reasons he'd bought the dildo, though he had been planning that for a while. It was a good decision, however. It had refocused Jason's energies for the better, taking away his fear and transforming his mindset to something positive. Daniel hoped that fear, exacerbated by the nightmares, was gone. He hadn't yet discussed the matter with Jason, but he could read the man well.

"Stop thinking," Jason told him as he moved a piece on the chessboard into a potentially dangerous area.

Daniel looked at him apologetically. "Sorry."

"You're not usually distracted during a chess game."

"Speaking of that, just what have we here, anyway? Since when do you play chess so well?"

"Shut up and move."

Daniel sniggered.

Five minutes later, Daniel sat there with his jaw on the floor, looking at a very smug Jason.

"I'd do a little victory dance but..." Jason said, winking, "but instead, I'll just tell Jack and he can do one for me."

Daniel stared at him, his gaze _almost_ threatening. He got up and grabbed the bowl filled with chicken coating. He waved it slightly as Jason eyed him carefully. "Wanna wear this?"

"You'll have to mix up more...and then have a big mess to clean up," Jason replied as he got up and grabbed the opposite lip of the bowl.

"I think I'll risk it," Daniel replied as he tugged on the bowl.

Jason tugged back as his other arm snaked around Daniel's waist, his body pushing Daniel against the counter. "You'll only end up with some of it on you as well."

Daniel smiled. "I'll still risk it," he replied, his voice lowering.

Jason found it seductive. He stared at Daniel's lips, then tilted his head and closed in. Their lips met briefly. "Have I thanked you for this morning?"

Daniel smiled against his lips. "I think so."

Jason shook his head. "I think I need to thank you in another way."

"Not necessary."

"Since when?"

Their hands were still gripping the bowl but their interest was no longer on spilling the contents. They lowered the bowl to the countertop and as soon as his hand was free, Jason cupped Daniel's face and kissed him deeply. Daniel's hands gripped his back, caressing strong, hard muscle.

"I can't wait until we can make love properly."

"Maybe you can," Daniel suggested as he bit against his jaw.

Jason tilted his head back. "Only if I lay there, like this morning."

"You didn't exactly lay there, Jace," Daniel reminded him as his fingers now laced through his lover's black hair.

"Whatever you say," Jason conceded, tilting his own head back now as Daniel ran his teeth over his throat...something that consistently melted Jason's spine.

Their actions were suddenly interrupted when they heard the engine of the motorcycle in the garage. They smiled at each other.

"Jack's home," they both said. Jason glanced at the clock on the wall.

"Damn, only ninety minutes?"

They heard the engine die, and soon after, the garage door shut. The door to the house opened and shut and as they listened to Jack's movements down the hallway, they turned to face him...and damn near died.

Jack was carrying a bag, which he set on one of the chairs, along with his helmet. "That is one **sweet** ride," he grinned. Catching his lovers staring, he looked down at himself. "Decided to get a new jacket," he said. "And um...gloves and boots. They look good, right?"

Jason and Daniel could smell the new leather from where they stood, even six feet away. Jack wasn't just wearing a regular black leather jacket but one of those ones with the wide collar and lapels. It wasn't decorated with metal studs like a lot of 'biker' jackets were, but it had the cut. And was damn sexy. His boots, mostly hidden by his jeans, had the square toe. And the gloves? Fingerless.

Jason swallowed. Daniel swallowed.

"What?" Jack asked, knowing damn well what new leather did to them.

Daniel reached over and turned off the oven while Jason placed the pan of chicken pieces in the fridge.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" he asked Daniel.

"Oh, probably."

"What?" Jack asked again.

"That dumb act never works, Jack," Daniel told him as he slipped an arm around Jack's waist, leaning forward to snuffle between his neck and the jacket's collar. He made a growling noise of pleasure and bit at Jack's neck, and the leather collar.

Jason smirked at Daniel as he grabbed Jack's hand. "C'mon, Jack. You know you wanted this." Jack resisted slightly, but only because his contact with Daniel was then lost.

Daniel didn't let the contact break for long, however. His fingers were on the buttons of Jack's shirt, moving down, opening to delicious skin. "Jason, stop pulling him so fast."

Jack smirked as he was forced down the hall. "I think that soon, that won't be a problem, Daniel."

Daniel returned the smirk and as they entered the bedroom and neared the bed, Jack just let things...happen. Whatever they wanted, _however_ they wanted...hell, he'd give them anything. His cock was throbbing _before_ he'd entered the house. The thrum of the cycle engine had made things feel so...good, and now, they were about to get better. He knew this would be their reaction. God, he loved them.

"Jack, you have way too many clothes on," Daniel told him as he pushed him down on the bed, guiding him to the center, lying half over him, latching onto his lips with his own, thrusting his tongue inside giving hints of things to come.

Jack would have answered. But he couldn't bring himself to part with Daniel's lips, his tongue. And oh God, there were Jason's teeth, pulling at his jeans...near his crotch. The sound of his belt buckle loosening and the feel of his jeans being opened made Jack groan. Daniel moved to the side slightly, never taking his tongue from Jack's mouth, allowing Jason more room to...

Daniel broke the kiss finally, looking down at Jason. "I think we need to remove his boots first," he suggested.

"I know," Jason replied, "but I just needed to...taste..."

"Everything at once, I know," Daniel replied. "Boots..." he reminded Jason as Jason paused.

Jack bit at his lip as they removed his boots and slid his jeans - by the pant legs - down and off. His briefs soon followed, releasing - finally - his throbbing cock. The sight of it made them pause a moment, revealing Jack's...prepared...interest. With evil smiles...the boots went back on, just as Jack knew they would.

Reluctantly refusing to touch his naked skin, they removed his jacket, his shirt, and slipped his jacket back on. Jack still had his fingerless gloves on, which none of them intended to remove.

Daniel gave him a predatory smile. "Grab the headboard, Jack, and keep your hands there. It's that or you get tied."

Jack was tempted to resist, but he wouldn't. He sometimes preferred the _illusion_ of being tied, of being _told_ to grab the headboard, to keep his hands there as if they were tied. It was always - always - highly erotic. It made it freeing and confining at the same time. Looking down his body to the foot of the bed, he tightly gripped the curved top as he watched his lovers...strip. Gazing over all that hard, alluring skin and muscle, Jack sometimes wondered how the hell he got so fucking lucky. He didn't know if he _deserved_ them, but he sure as hell appreciated them. Their love. Their...want.

They seemed to be waiting, standing there, side by side, looking him over as they slowly peeled off their clothes...appreciating him right back. Their cocks, hard, ruddy and almost purple, the heads just starting to leak with fluid, let Jack know just how clear their intentions were. God.

Fondling his boots, his calves, they spread his legs, their hands gliding upward, finding more skin. They slowly moved onto the bed, framing his body. Jack's eyes widened slightly as they dipped their heads, their tongues touching him at the knees, running along the inside. Jack gasped at the wet trail they left behind as they made their way up his body.

Jason couldn't believe how much he wanted Jack, how much he wanted to kneel before him, to fuck him senseless. But he couldn't. Too much strain on this thighs. He sighed as he thought of other things to do, other ways to make Jack moan. His tongue travelled up the thigh, measuring almost, needing to find that one spot, the spot that would make Jack...

"Fuck," Jack whispered.

Jason smiled. He'd found it. A certain spot along the inner thigh, near Jack's groin. He stiffened his tongue and ran the tip over that spot, again and again, and left it, moving up.

Daniel watched, his eyes flickering back and forth between his lovers and his own target. His teeth grazed over the dip between hip and groin, making Jack hiss as his body reacted, prickling his flesh, forming goosebumps. Both he and Jason smiled as their tongues met the change in surface. Jason moved up, tonguing Jack's navel, while Daniel stayed put, deciding to tease.

Jack gripped the headboard tighter, fighting his desire to personally guide his lovers where he wanted them to go. He had to resist telling them, though that resistance was easy. This was their show now and he wanted to be surprised.

His muscles twitched as Jason's tongue moved past his navel and up the sternum. Daniel's tongue...god, teasing his balls, leaving his cock alone.

Jack mouthed, "Daniel," silently, not daring to tell him, to hint what he wanted. He instead let his body do the talking. His dick twitched, rising slightly from its position against his lower belly.

Daniel smiled. He knew what he was doing, what Jack was doing, and what Jack wanted. He hadn't dared believe that this would be Jack's reaction to riding a bike again, but he'd hoped. He licked his lips and kissed the base of Jack's cock, purposely breathing warm air against the sensitive skin. Jack shuddered and let out a small moan. Daniel smiled again, dragging the tip of his tongue up the shaft while watching Jason take a nipple into his mouth and suck, pulling it between his teeth.

Jack arched his back a tiny bit, his hips moving slightly to the right. Daniel inhaled the thick scent of Jack's skin, the aroma of it sending messages directly to his cock. Taste. Swallow. Suck.

Daniel tasted, running his tongue flat over the glans, rubbing back and forth. Next, he swallowed, wrapping his lips around the head of Jack's cock, his mouth watering, sending a small ribbon of spit over his chin. He sucked, drawing his lips over the skin like one does with a lollipop. He moaned hungrily, loving the vibration against Jack's skin. Hot, silky skin, so delicious. He took in more flesh and sucked harder.

"Daniel," the barest whisper escaped Jack's throat.

Aroused by the sounds from Jack, Jason nipped along his collarbone, his fingers now pinching wet nipples, the hardened nubs caught between thumb and forefinger. As Jason moved up to find the pulse point of Jack's throat, his fingertips twisted the sensitive skin.

"Jason," Jack breathed, the word merely air and no voice.

Jason quickly moved up and kissed him, hard, doing exactly what Daniel had done, thrusting his tongue, _fucking_ his mouth. Jack groaned again, and this time the sound was louder, heavy with want.

"Jason," Daniel said, taking his mouth from Jack. "Do you want to fuck him?"

Jason broke away a bit, but his lips grazed over Jack's, nibbling. He didn't look at Daniel but stared down into Jack's eyes. "Stupid question." He sighed, shakily. "But you know I can't. Not yet."

Jack hissed as Daniel's mouth returned to his cock, his dark, needing eyes fixed on Jason's. "I can't wait until you can."

Jason shook his head. "Me, either."

Jack would have said more but Daniel sucked harder, teasing his sphincter with a fingertip. He flexed his fingers and repositioned his grip on the headboard, his mind torn between pushing down onto Daniel's tantalizing finger or thrusting up into his mouth. Instead, he raised his head, locking his lips to Jason's, his tongue seeking out his lover's mouth, thrusting inside, _fucking_ rapidly. Jason groaned and kissed him back, pushing him down, giving back as his fingers glided with tactile need over Jack's leather.

Jack made a face of frustration when Daniel's attention on his cock abruptly ceased. "Daniel, stop teasing."

"I'm not," Daniel told him quietly, a certain tone in his voice telling Jack that he had something else in mind. "Jace, take my place," he asked, moving off the bed to grab the lube from the nightstand.

Jason gave Jack a slow kiss before making his way down, taking his lover's cock into his mouth.

Jack had to clutch at the headboard tightly. He loved running his fingers through Jason's hair when Jason went down on him and it took all of his self-control not to. Jason teased him, knowing it, too. He looked up at him, moaning as he sucked. Jack growled at him but that only made things worse as Jason sucked harder, twisting his fist at the base of his cock.

"Don't you dare make him come," Daniel warned as he knelt between Jack's legs. Jason's eyes smiled at him as he let up, kneeling for a moment to grab Daniel and kiss him, hard. Daniel shuddered, making a growling sound as Jason thrust his tongue into his mouth, as he took his cock in his hands, pulling slowly. Daniel knew what he wanted and growled again. Without looking, the cap to the lube was opened and somewhat messily, the slick liquid poured over Jason's hand.

Jason coated him, using highly erotic strokes, making Daniel thrust in his hand. "Like that?" Jason asked against his lips.

"Yes," Daniel answered as he spoke against his lips. Jason took his hand away, grabbed the lube, and squeezed more of it into Daniel's hand. They looked up into Jack's focused gaze as Daniel laid Jack's thighs over his own. "You want?" Daniel asked.

"Dumb question," Jack told him, pressing his lips together, taking long, slow breaths as Daniel slathered lube over his anus. Lifting up, Jack adjusted his body to line up with Daniel's, and without hesitation, wrapped his long legs around Daniel's waist and pulled.

Daniel's eyes widened with surprise, lust spiking through him because Jack didn't want to be prepped. If that's what Jack wanted, he'd oblige. Quickly lining up his cock, he pushed past Jack's tight barrier, moving slowly. They both groaned as Daniel buried his cock deep, gasping when at last there was nowhere left to go.

Jason loved watching them, touching them, getting off on watching Daniel move inside Jack. With the need to make Jack feel even more, he took hold of his lover's cock and bent over to take it into his mouth.

Jack's breathing changed to quick, shallow gasps as Jason's hot, wet mouth slid up, down, and around, his teeth grazing lightly over the head. "Jesus."

Daniel bit at his lip as he pulled out slowly, teasing himself and Jack, inhaling the black leather scent that surrounded his lover. Noises escaped his throat as he began to thrust, enjoying the tight, hot feeling. He got off on Jack's gasping, on Jason's mouth around their lover's cock. He ran his fingers through Jason's hair, damn near coming just by the sight of Jack's cock moving in and out of his mouth.

"Suck hard," he whispered, his eyes moving up to catch Jack's.

Jason sucked hard...and hummed.

Jack's fingers tightened on the headboard so hard the wood creaked. "Damn you two," he breathed.

Daniel moved both hands over Jason's head, encouraging him as he moved his cock in slow, short strokes. "Match me," he whispered.

For a moment, the two moved as one, driving themselves and their lover mad with the achingly slow pleasure. Then Jack's need changed the rhythm, his hips moving quicker.

"Faster," he told them.

Jason pulled back, licking his reddened, almost bruised, lips. Kneeling up, Daniel pulled him into another kiss, his tongue fucking Jason's mouth in the same quickening speed as his cock moved inside Jack. Jason broke away, gasping.

"Give it to him," he told Daniel as he laid down, his lips sliding up between the jacket, between Jack's pecs. He wrapped his fingers around his lover's cock, jerking him off with strong, twisting strokes. Jack started to reach for him as Jason leaned up for a kiss, but Jason pulled back a little.

"Now, now, you know the rules."

"There are rules?" Jack asked sarcastically, but his hands gripped the headboard harder out of frustration. Jason only smiled and kissed him, inserting his tongue slowly.

Watching Jason's hand and Jack's reactions to the both of them turned Daniel on more and more. Jack, lying there in his black leather, his jacket open and just barely covering the dark pink of his nipples, his hands gripping the headboard so hard. So hard. Jack was taking what his lovers gave him, offering himself to them - Daniel thought there was no better sight in the world. The thought overwhelmed him and he took hold of Jack's hips, holding him firmly so he could thrust hard.

The movements brought a loud moan from Jack as his prostate was caressed. Daniel was panting now, the sweat forming on his brow, trying to cool. His lovers' skin was also glowing with it and they were so beautiful to him. Daniel moved harder, faster.

Jack dropped his head back, his eyes wide. "Yes, God, yes!"

Angling to make sure he hit Jack's gland on every thrust, Daniel was suddenly aware of the sound of his balls slapping against Jack's ass. He loved that sound, and the way Jack writhed on the bed, the way Jason was jerking him off. Harder now, he thought. Must...fuck...harder.

"Yes, Daniel," Jack told him. "Let go."

Daniel pounded into him and in moments, he couldn't hold back any more. He threw his head back as his orgasm screamed through his body, his throat releasing what sounded like a strangled roar. His buttocks clenched and he stilled, his hips the only part of him that moved, barely, jerking through his release.

"Yes, Daniel," Jack whispered, nearly climaxing as he watched his lover come, knowing that he could spend the rest of his life doing only that. Then Jason and his...artistic...hand altered his concentration. He looked over and Jason's eyes now held his, dark with need. "Yes," he begged. "Make me come, Jace."

Jason felt himself shiver at the sound of Jack's deep, encouraging voice. Increasing the action of his hand, watching Jack's face, he waited. When Jack's body began to tense, he leaned over and took the head of his cock in his mouth, sucking rapidly.

The wet heat did it.

Jack arched off the bed, his hands flying down to grab Jason's head, his hair. "Suck me, yes!" he cried out as he thrust rapidly into Jason's mouth, his come spilling down Jason's throat. Jason swallowed eagerly, humming again. Daniel smiled at the pleasured grimace on Jack's face, and rocked his hips a bit to nudge Jack's gland, knowing the motion would send shocks of keen pleasure through his lover.

Jack's sphincter flexed and spasmed, just as his cock twitched in Jason's mouth. They didn't let up on him until the pleasure was too acute to bear.

His lovers moved off him and slid up the bed, framing him once more, taking turns kissing him. Jack loved them so much and wanted to tell them, but he had to wait a moment before he could speak. Intelligently, that is. As his breathing calmed a bit, he was suddenly aware that Jason hadn't come. With his gloved hand, he reached down and curled his fingers around Jason's hard cock.

"I think you need some attention," he said deeply.

Jason hissed and started to pull away. "Not on those clean gloves, Jack."

"They're leather, they're new, and they're washable. Now c'mere."

Daniel smiled and moved over them, positioning himself behind Jason. "Can't get away now."

Jason would have answered, but Jack turned toward him, changed hands, and he couldn't talk. He made short, gasping noises as his eyes became riveted on Jack's gloved hand, on the feel of his cock encased in black leather, on the slightly rough feeling of the kidskin.

"God, Jack," he managed. Jason's breathing increased to rapid panting as Jack's hand sped up, twisting his palm, rubbing firmly with his thumb over the head, the slit.

"Fuck my hand," Jack told him.

Jason grabbed Jack's jacket, the leather shoulders, holding tightly as his hips moved in quick, short thrusts, fucking his lover's fist. Jack's fingers tightened and Jason let out a strangled cry.

"Yes, Jack," he encouraged, his hips moving eagerly, his body needing to come. He felt his balls tighten, and that familiar heat crawl up his cock. "Almost," he panted, and just as he knew he was near the edge, a loud cry was forced from his throat as Daniel shoved a lubed finger inside him. "Daniel," he croaked, the dual assault taking control of him. Daniel's finger moved deep, twisting, hooking, and the sudden stimulation had Jason jerking his hips through orgasmic tremors as he came over Jack's gloved fingers.

When he could breathe, and see, he looked at the smug expressions on his lovers' faces. He shook his head.

"Damn."

Daniel nodded and hugged him against his body, his hand reaching over to brush Jack's chest, his sated eyes smiling.

Jack smiled at them both but he remained silent. There was simply nothing else to add. Except that he wanted to do all of that again.

~

With Daniel driving, he and Jason arrived early, entering Hammond's long, expansive driveway, moving slowly past the few cars and trucks that lined the left side to park at the back. It was now just past 9 a.m., but by noon, the entire length of the drive would be filled. It was going to be a very warm day, judging that the temperature was already seventy degrees, but at least it wasn't due to be the scorcher it had been a few days before.

Shutting off the engine, Daniel grabbed his tall latte and headed for the back of the truck. Jason was already letting down the tailgate and preparing to climb in when Daniel stopped him, grabbing his arm. He eyed Jason silently as he took a long drink from his cup. His lover rolled his eyes.

"Daniel..."

"No," he said, setting his cup carefully to the side and out of the way. "Janet's already here," he said, motioning at her canopied pickup. "Are you _asking_ to get scolded?"

Jason winced. "Not on my list today, no."

Daniel grinned, a hint of mischievousness behind his eyes. He leaned toward him, lowering his voice. "Besides, Jace, if you can't fuck, then you very well can't climb."

A light pink colored Jason's high cheekbones, but as soon as it appeared, it was gone. "Bastard," he said, purposely using a scolding tone of his own.

Daniel only smiled and climbed in the back of the truck, handing down Jason's large cooking pots. "I hope that there'll be a lot of people eating today, Jace, or you'll be killing those critters for nothing."

Jason shrugged. "Well, at least I'll be killing them _before_ they hit the pot. Never cared for that live boiling thing."

Daniel wrinkled his nose in distaste. "I agree with you there."

Jason would have said more but distracted himself with Daniel's appearance instead, gazing appreciatively at the way Daniel filled the navy blue shorts, the length just slightly above mid-thigh. His white, sleeveless t-shirt was cut off at the midriff, showing an allure of skin. That shirt always enhanced his biceps, never failing to arouse him. When he looked up into those blue eyes, he found them smiling. "What'cha smilin' about?"

"With that look your giving me, Jace, I'm tempted to take you out in the woods."

Jason put the second set of pots down. "Bring it on, Daniel."

Daniel gave him a slow grin, his eyes dancing with more mischievousness as he handed Jason the last pot - the one with the sauce. He passed his eyes over Jason's maroon-colored shorts, set about the same length as his own. His grey Air Force t-shirt, also cut at the waist, was pulled tight across his chest and Daniel couldn't help but return the appreciation. His eyes passed over the dark, rectangular bandages, noting how they looked almost camouflaged against Jason's tanned skin. His eyes travelled back up, stopping at Jason's dark eyes. "Have I told you that you look good enough to eat?"

Jason lowered his voice. "No, but...um..." He cleared his throat quickly. "I can't wait to be able to have dess--"

Daniel cleared his throat - but his was in warning.

"Well, gentlemen, I see you've made it," Hammond said, addressing them warmly with a smile as he shook their hands.

"Yes, sir," Jason told him. "We're ready to go. If you wish to point me in the right direction."

"The crab and lobster are sitting in tanks next to the large seafood cooking set-up, Major." He pointed across the lawn to the five tall, canopy tents, covering wide-open cooking stalls. The tents were set up in a wide arc instead of a single, straight line. "Just mosey on back. It's the one nearest us, next to where the Colonel's serving grill will be."

"Nice set up, sir," Jason replied, impressed. Taking his sauce pot in one arm and a few of the empty pots in his free hand, he began to walk off...without his cane, purposely left on the seat of the truck.

"Major, should you be carrying all that?" Hammond asked, concerned.

Before Jason could answer, Janet did as she walked up with Cassie.

"Yes, sir. He'll be starting physical therapy this next week so he will get a _little_ exercise today." She sent Jason a warning look.

Jason sent it back as he turned toward the tents and began walking...slowly. He threw over his shoulder, a sarcastic grin showing, "Leave the doctor at the office, Janet, unless you plan on dispensing medical advice with the food."

Daniel started laughing and Hammond couldn't help but grin. Cassie knew better and though her eyes were laughing, she bit her lips together. One of Cassie's friends, Camilla, came running up, interrupting whatever Janet would've said.

"I'm here, Cass."

"Cool."

Janet gave them her motherly smile. "Good, now if you wouldn't mind helping Major Coburn over there set up?"

Cassie's grin widened and she grabbed Camilla's hand and ran after Jason, easily catching up to him.

"Jason's gonna kill you, Janet," Daniel told her. "You should've seen his face when I told him Cassie had a crush on him."

Janet exchanged grins with Hammond, then pretended to be concerned. "Shhhh. Don't let Cassie hear you say 'crush'. That's almost as bad as say, _you_ , having a crush on someone."

Daniel winced. "Good point." He watched as Jason spoke to the two girls and quickly looked over his shoulder. He seemed to be telling them something, and yes, sure enough, Cassie and her friend came running back.

Janet frowned. "What?" she asked.

"Jason said that Jack's gonna be showing up on his new bike. I gotta see that."

Janet's eyes widened and she turned to Daniel. "New bike?"

Daniel smiled evilly. "Latest Schwinn. Very cool."

Cassie slapped his arm, making Daniel's grin widen. "Harley!" she scolded. "It's a Harley, Mom!" she then said excitedly, then grabbed Camilla and ran off, her voice barely lowered. "And in black leather. This I've **got** to see."

"Cassie, where're you going?" Janet called after her.

"To grab the others!"

Janet rolled her eyes. "The Colonel's going to kill Jason."

Daniel's grin only widened as he shook his head. "Maybe not. You know how Jack sometimes likes his entrances." He grabbed last pot out of the back of the truck, Jack's sauce, then grabbed the remaining empty pots in the other hand, and made his way across the lawn toward Jason.

About ten yards to the left of the cooking tents were the extremely long picnic-type tables, set in four rows of five tables each. Off the lawn and stationed on the large circular pebblestone patio, Daniel spied his cocktail bar, rather proud that he could rent the unusual portable bar; unusual in that it was made to look like old antique wood, and indeed, parts of the backdrop were, centered with a wide oval mirror. A thick mantel separated the wood from the more functional part of the bar, and there Daniel had planned to decorate with his bowls of fruit; oranges, lemons, and limes, sitting in shallow wicker baskets. Though he'd be using the fruit, he still thought they'd make a nicely colorful display.

Daniel grinned, pleased and grateful as he realized that Teal'c had set up the wide, twelve-foot green-and-white striped awning for the bar as he had said he would, though he hadn't thought that he'd have had time to do that already. Daniel looked at his watch and knew that he needed to get over there and set things up soon. Even though he wouldn't be serving any sort of alcohol until noon, there were fruit drinks, smoothies, special sodas, iced teas, and other non-alcoholic things that that he'd concocted.

As he neared Jason's tent to help him set up, he looked around him, searching for and finding Teal'c far across the immense back lawn. Next to him was Ferretti and another man he couldn't identify but figured was probably one of the other SGC members. They were staking posts, marked with brightly colored flags, almost like golf posts. Daniel knew immediately what they were for, as Teal'c had talked about it Saturday morning - and rather enthusiastically.

It was an obstacle course, set for water games, especially with those water rifles that Daniel was clueless about - still - but he knew Teal'c was becoming well-versed in them. Daniel grinned, his knowledge confirmed, as he saw the young girl Teal'c had made friends with five years before - Allie - running up to him with a few more flagged posts. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but she seemed very excited by what they were doing. Though Allie was now seventeen years old, she still liked 'hanging with' Teal'c. Daniel couldn't figure that out, trying to see from her point of view, but he knew Teal'c enjoyed the mentor role, talking to her about law enforcement, which Allie was set on doing with her life. Watching them, he couldn't help but grin fondly, very glad that Teal'c had managed to get her invited.

Reaching Jason, he set the pots down on the preparation counter next to the stove elements. Jason already had his sauce simmering on low heat on the far element and was getting out the cutlery that was stored below.

He grinned at Daniel. "This is very cool. How Hammond knew to have--"

Daniel cagily grinned back and interrupted. "I told him," he said, earning a grateful smile. "Just as I told him what sort of blades Jack preferred using for chopping spareribs. Speaking of which..." He walked behind Jason and went over to the next cooking tent to make sure Jack did indeed have his knives. Behind it, and two other cooking stalls, were the tall smokers, slowly roasting the spareribs, both beef and pork. Looking beyond Jack's tent to the next one, Daniel saw the immense round _cauldron_ and knew immediately that it was Hammond's chili. Beyond Hammond's center tent, he grinned and shot Jason a look. They both heard muffled cursing coming from the floor of the fourth tent.

Standing up, holding electrical extension cords, was Sam. Her hair was slightly dishevelled. She blinked as she caught sight of Daniel and Jason.

"Hey," she said rather breathlessly. Jason and Daniel made their way over.

"Hey, Sam," Daniel greeted, patting her on the back in the form of a hello. He saw the aggravated look on her face and his eyes widened. "What's wrong?"

Sam held up the two ends of the orange cords - both of them female sockets. "I ask you, what the..." and she lowered her voice, "...fuck..." then raised her voice to normal level, "...am I supposed to do with these?"

Jason bit his lip to keep from saying it. So did Daniel, but his face was a picture of innocence.

He looked around him. "Well, where's Siler?"

"Ken is out scrounging for God knows what," she waved, the cord whipping behind her.

"Ken?" Daniel and Jason repeated. They'd never - EVER - known the man's first name. How weird was that?

She levelled a disgusted look at them. "Yes, his name's Ken. Now...think you can hunt up a male cord for me?"

Daniel followed the cords in her hands and they were elaborately wound around her tent, leading to a central supply of generators well behind the tents. He sighed. "That'll be a pain in the ass to replace, Sam. How about I go find a male adapter for you."

Sam valiantly refrained from laughing. "If anyone can find a male adapter, Daniel, it would be you."

Jason sniggered and received a thump in the back as they walked off toward Hammond, who was now standing on the patio, under the cover of the intricately built roof. He was speaking to Siler. Er, _Ken_.

After sending Siler off to help Sam, Daniel helped Jason with his set up, and in no time, had the seasoned water simmering and the tools waiting. Jason's special knife, a small one that almost resembled a paring knife, sat to the side. His 'killing' knife.

Leaving Jason's tent, the two men set up Jack's, heating up the grill and getting his supplies ready. Just when they were wondering where the hell their mate was, they heard the distinctive sound of the Harley. Looking up, they watched as Jack, helmetless, wearing those mirrored shades, maneuvered his bike to a stop on the grass right next to Jason's truck.

"Fuck, he looks good on that bike," Jason murmured as they left the tent and made for Jack.

"Or that bike looks good on him," Daniel mused.

"That'll work, too."

Jack's lovers shared an amused glance as Cassie and her friends surrounded him. Daniel bit his lip and nudging Jason, gestured with a nod behind him at the tables. Jason looked over his shoulder and gave out a snort. It seemed that Jack had caught everyone's attention, not just Cassie and her friends.

"Typical. Think we'll have to endure a bit of ego for the rest of the day."

Daniel nodded. "Sort of goes with the turf, you know?"

Other, louder engines soon filled the air as five other bikes owned by SG personnel (only three of them Harleys), rolled in and parked behind Jack, one after the other...and all of them on the grass. If Hammond hadn't been there, _directing_ traffic, Daniel and Jason would have winced at the liberty taken with Hammond's lawn.

As his lovers closed in, they noticed that Jack had decided to wear his jeans, not his cut-offs (as he'd threatened to do). But they knew he really wouldn't. Though his knees were healed on the inside, Jack was rather self-conscious about their appearance and preferred for them to be seen only when absolutely necessary; like around the house or in the infirmary. Daniel and Jason didn't mind as Jack was wearing the dark blue straight-legs, the ones that made his legs appear longer than they normally were.

Daniel cleared his throat as he saw what Jack was wearing under his leather jacket. He knew immediately what that shirt would do to women as it always did the same thing to him. Made him think nasty, nasty, nasty thoughts.

"He changed shirts," he told Jason.

Jason's eyes were smouldering. "I noticed."

Both men took deep breaths.

Jack's shirt was an ordinary long-sleeved, button-down shirt, with two pockets in the front. But...it was the color, solid baby blue - a damn fine color on Jack - and the cut of the shirt showed off Jack's muscular build extremely well. With the sleeves rolled up, his forearms would then be on display.

Jason swallowed. "I'm..." Nothing else came from his throat. Daniel understood anyway.

Jack looked over at them finally, his mirrored glasses setting off his tanned face and silvered hair. He gave them a grin. _The_ grin. Damn him.

Daniel growled.

"My sentiments exactly," Jason whispered.

"Think we can take him down by that creek before the end of the day and fuck the hell out of him?"

Jason grinned, then sighed, almost wistfully. "I'd so love to. How about we just take turns fucking him on his bike."

"Back in the garage?" Daniel asked, smiling evilly at him.

"Yes. Gonna have a near hard-on for the rest of the day now."

"You and me both."

They reached Jack and his 'fellow' bikers.

"Took you long enough," Daniel said facetiously. "Stop off at Sturgis before coming over?"

"I thought about it," Jack drawled, sending another one of _those_ grins. Though Daniel and Jason didn't growl at him, Jack read it well enough in their eyes. "So, what'chu two been up to?"

"Well, get your butt off that bike and follow us," Daniel told him. Jason wanted to say what Daniel had, plus a bit more, but he didn't dare. Sunday or no Sunday, he'd not say that in front of the General.

Hammond shook Jack's hand as the man took off his glasses and got off his bike. "Hello, General. How's it looking so far?"

"Looking good, Jack, looking good." He stepped aside and gestured toward the tents, grinning. "I'll be joining you out there in a while, but needless to say, my work's already done."

Jack grinned back. "Well then, I'll set to work," he said, and looked at Daniel. "Since I've yet to get a saddle bag for the bike, did you bring my--"

"It's in the truck, Jack," Daniel told him.

"I'll get it," Jason told him as he made for the truck.

"Stick this in there will ya?" Jack asked, taking off his jacket. Jason grabbed it and opened up the truck.

"I'll let you get to it. See you out there in a little while, gentlemen," Hammond said and went toward the side entrance to the large house.

"Look forward to it, sir," Jack called after him, getting a wave in response. Jack grinned. It would be great fun.

Major Madison walked over, wearing his 'leathers'. He stared at the back of Jack's bike and pointed. "I was wondering what was missing."

Before Jack could attempt an explanation, Daniel interrupted. "He hasn't had the chance yet, Major."

"Maddy."

"Maddy," Daniel smiled, shaking his hand. "He only received the bike yesterday."

Jack's smile returned, looking rather smug. "My very belated birthday present."

Maddy snorted. "I'll say. Jason said it was January, wasn't it?" he replied, with Jack nodding.

"Yep. I'm afraid we got a bit sidetracked."

Daniel snorted. "A bit. Anyway, I left off the saddle bag," Daniel went on, skipping over that nasty bit about their MIA status, "because I knew that Jack would prefer to buy his own."

Jack nodded. "You're right."

"No comment," Daniel mumbled, smirking.

Jason returned and slapped the bright turquoise blue chef's apron against Jack's chest. "Here ya go, flyboy."

As Jack grabbed it, his eyes travelled downward. His hand itched with the need to slap Jason on the ass. "Where's yours?" he asked instead. Jason held up his beige apron and Jack wrinkled his nose. "King of understatement. You need to get the bold colors."

Jason looked over at Maddy and smiled. The man smiled back at him as he walked up to him, the two shaking hands, clasping thumb over thumb.

"Nice to see ya, Maddy."

"You, too, Jace. How you feeling?"

Jason looked down at himself. "Better."

"You look it."

"Still can't go back to the team, but I may finagle a way to get on duty."

"You'll get it back," Maddy told him confidently as the four made their way toward the cook tents. "Mind if I hang around for a minute or so?"

"No problem, but the bad language might scare you off."

Maddy's laugh was interrupted by a voice coming from behind them.

"Ah, there's our boy."

Jason didn't stop as he knew that voice. "Watch it, blondie," he called out over his shoulder as he reached his cooking tent. He turned and watched his 2IC walk across the lawn toward the tables. Alex's hand was clasped in Cari's, too, and Jason watched for a moment, envying the man his freedom.

"When's lunch?" Alex called back and Cari yanked his arm to shut him up.

"Pay no attention, Jace," she shouted back.

"Never do," Jason replied and casually looked over at Maddy. "Although just for that, he's getting his seafood live." As Maddy sniggered, looking into the seafood tanks, Jason cast a long look at Daniel and Jack, giving them a slow wink. Just a reminder that he loved them.

Daniel knew the reason for the wink. So did Jack. Neither of them missed Jason's watchful eye on Alex and Cari. "Someday," Daniel told him as he walked between him and Jack, heading for his bar. "Well, I'm off to get my spirits stirred up."

"Don't drink it all, Daniel," Jack told him. "Save some for the rest of us."

"Pfft!" was Daniel's only reply.

Jack grinned, putting on his apron as Jason did the same. Seeing what was written in bright red block letters across the chest of Jack's apron, Maddy snorted with amusement.

_Beware of Chef_

Jack picked up and twirled a cleaver in his hand, lifting his brow for emphasis. Grinning, Maddy turned and got a look at Jason's apron. In deep maroon letters, styled in calligraphy, it read,

_Spices make the Chef_

Maddy shot him a dirty look. "Spice?"

Pretending offense, Jason waved around them, indicating the mixed company of adults and children. "The better aprons aren't for this crowd."

"Oh yeah?" Maddy asked, "like what?"

Jack grinned as Jason winked at Maddy and whispered in his ear. " _Let's Play Carpenter. First we'll get hammered, then I'll nail you_."

Maddy coughed and shoved Jason away from him. "No offense, but I prefer flowers to stems."

"It's not like it was an offer," Jason laughed back at his embarrassment.

Maddy pretended offense this time, holding his hand to his chest. "I'm crushed."

Jack was quietly sniggering and Maddy shot him a filthy look. "What?"

"His other one says, _Olive oil is the gay chef's second choice._ "

Maddy coughed again, holding the side of his fist to his mouth to hide the smile. "Does he actually wear that?"

"Oh yeah," Jack answered, winking at Jason when Maddy looked away when someone waved at him, calling his name. The man came over and Jack chose that time to turn away and give Jason a meaningful look. "Last time, you were naked underneath."

Jason's eyes darkened slightly, gearing up for a major tease. He purposely turned and bent over to grab the vegetables, pulling them out of the bins. "I've got some olive oil," he mumbled. "Wanna find a remote spot and do a little..."

Jack sighed at sight of that ass being presented and given that nothing could happen, he slapped Jason across the ass cheeks.

"Use it or lose it," Jason grumbled.

"Head's up, Jace," Jack whispered back when Maddy turned to them in the middle of his conversation.

"Want some help or?" Maddy asked, hoping to be dismissed.

"No, I think I've got it covered," Jason told him without standing. "Just go enjoy yourself, Maddy."

"Call me if you need anything," the man said, moving off toward the tables with his friend.

Jack watched the leader of SG-3 saunter off, then turned a curious eye on Jason. "He knows you're gay. When'd that happen? And why's he being so cool about it? Doesn't strike me as the type."

Jason nodded matter-of-factly. "He's cool, Jack, just puts on a front. And he's known for a long time. Knew him long before joining the SGC. He was stationed with me on a small island west of Bali."

"But you can't say what island, right?"

Jason glanced at him. "After we retire, you tell me your secret missions, I'll tell you mine."

Jack nodded as he grabbed the oven mitts. "Deal. But not all at once. Have to save some of them so life will stay interesting."

Jason shook his head. "I don't think our life together will ever be boring, Jack."

"You got that right."

.

As they fired up their respective grills, Janet tossed Sam her chef's apron.

Sam rolled her eyes. "Janet, it's pink."

"No, it's fuchsia. And it has the better saying."

"Bullshit." Sam put the apron on anyway, slipping the neck tie over her head. Wrapping the waist ties around her and securing them in the front, she looked over at Janet as she did the same. "Yours is better."

"No it's not, besides, you know damn well that fuchsia doesn't look good on brunettes. It _does_ look good on blondes. Now bright purple, on the other hand, looks smashing on brunettes," and she posed, pretending to primp as she displayed her chef's apron.

Sam let out a pig-snort as she started to laugh. "Okay, Janet, but your apron's saying is much better than mine." She pointed at the rounded black letters with flames painted over them. "I mean, c'mon. _Hot Tamale_? That's so lame."

Janet pointed at her own. The black cursive lettering read: _Burnt By Design_

Sam nodded. "Hence the reason I should be wearing that. You know damned well I don't cook."

Janet pointed at the grill. "Stop that. You're grilling."

"Doesn't require anything but turning the hotdogs, Jan."

"Which you could easily burn but you never have so..."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Sam..."

"Janet..."

Janet sighed. "C'mere and help me put these patties on my grill."

"Okay, but only after you help me put these assorted sausages on the grill, along with the normal junky-assed hotdogs."

.

After getting everything out and assembled and cut and positioned, and that goddamned blender working properly, along with the sink...

Daniel was ready. He'd set out the portable tables, and centered on them were large crystal bowls filled with separate types of punches. And in the interests of - or preparation for - the more clumsy among the SG horde, clear plastic cups meant to look like crystal were set out instead of the real stuff. That was only common sense there. He double and triple-checked his stock and stood nervously behind the bar, hoping he hadn't forgotten anything. Of course, there would be drinks he simply wasn't going to be making, but most things weren't a problem, especially if people just wanted beer.

Hammond had already informed Daniel that he could set out the ice-filled tubs stocked with different beers at lunchtime, which around there was 11:30 a.m. The other thing Hammond had told Daniel was that aside from being drink server, he was also the drink monitor, along with Teal'c. That translated as bouncer, which still made Daniel inwardly laugh. The few personnel who were over 6'5" and 225 lbs would laugh at him...until they found themselves on the floor. But Daniel was pretty sure that no one would get rowdy or drunk. Not here. They wouldn't dare, not if they liked their jobs and their money.

Daniel's bouncer status also meant that he had to drink very, very lightly - but at least he _could_ drink. He'd made himself a tall Kahlua and Milk on ice and had set it in the bar's fridge. After lunch, he'd sip on it occasionally, nursing it throughout most of the afternoon. He was fairly sure the ice would very likely water down the alcohol and he didn't mind that. He drank Kahlua and Milk for the coffee and its taste, not the alcohol content.

He moved around the bar when Janet and Sam wove through the picnic tables, coming toward him.

"Daniel," Janet called.

"Janet."

"Um, we need some beer."

Daniel looked at their grills. "For the dogs, right?" Janet smiled a bit too mischievously. "Jan," he drawled.

She tucked away the mischievousness. "Yes, Daniel, for the dogs."

He turned around and went for the large cooler tucked away in the far corner of Hammond's patio. Retrieving a few of the better brews, he handed them four of them. "If you're going to be basting, use the good stuff."

"Thanks," Janet replied.

"So, you gonna give Janet her dirty drink?" Sam asked, winking at Janet.

Janet slapped her arm. "Sam."

Daniel smiled, his body language nothing but _flirtatious_ in huge neon letters. He passed a finger down Janet's bicep as he passed her, heading toward the bar. The touch made her shiver. She gawked at him as he slipped behind the bar, then leaned over the counter suggestively. "What was that you wanted? An orgasm?"

Janet turned beet red, but smiled widely anyway. "I'll let you know." Sam sniggered, though her own cheeks were pinking.

"You two are so easy," Daniel laughed.

"Only with you, honey," Janet threw over her shoulder as she and Sam strolled back to their grills.

.

"I saw that," Jack said as he strolled up to the bar.

"Saw what?" Daniel asked, feigning ignorance.

"I saw that," Jack repeated, gesturing his nearly empty beer bottle in the direction of Lieutenants Matheson and Cartwright. The two women were staring back at Daniel as they walked off with their very colorful - and blue - tropical drinks.

"Again...saw what?" Daniel asked, reaching for a slice of lemon from behind the bar.

"The flirting."

"Jealous?" Daniel asked, taking advantage of the fact that no one else was within hearing range...for the moment.

"Fuck yes," Jack growled. He was teasing, and so was Daniel. The smile behind their eyes was a dead giveaway.

"Ah well, it's a good thing you didn't hear what they ask--"

Lieutenant Wayne suddenly appeared around the corner, her brown hair practically bouncing around her shoulders. Daniel and Jack were so used to it being up that they barely recognized her.

"Doctor Jackson?" she said excitedly, then nodded at Jack. "Sorry, sir."

Jack waved at her to continue. "Not a problem, Lieutenant. Go ahead."

She blushed a bit. "I just had a sip from Karen's drink. Could I get one, please?"

Daniel pretended ignorance with her, too. "What drink would that be, Gloria?"

Jack shot him a glance, irritated that Daniel knew her first name already...and he didn't. Okay, so she was new but so what?

Gloria blushed. "Um, a _Blue Screw_ please."

"Damn, that sounds like it hurts," Jack said, laughing, making Gloria blush some more.

"You never know," Daniel told him, winking at Gloria, _then_ Jack.

Jack promptly coughed, "Stop that."

As Daniel served the drink, Gloria thanked him with a smile and hurried off before Jack embarrassed her even more.

Jack gave Daniel a warning glare. "Okay, you, stop doing that flirting thing."

"Even with you?"

"Especially with me."

"But if I do it with everyone, no one will know I'm serious when I do it with you or Jace."

A strange growling sound escaped Jack's throat. "Daniel, do you have **any** idea how that just sounded?"

"Abso- _fucking_ -lutely."

Jack groaned. "Christ, I'm leaving."

"Wai-wai-wai-wai-wai-wait," Daniel called, getting Jack to halt mid-step. He loved doing that. "Didn't you, um, actually come over here for something, or was it just to say, 'I saw that'?"

Jack snapped his fingers. "Yes. Two _good_ beers. Please. One for me, one for Jace."

"Send Jace over to get his," Daniel said as he handed Jack a Guinness.

Jack stared. Daniel's smirk was unbelievable, as were his words. "You're just full of them, aren't you?" he said, walking away shaking his head. Daniel just sniggered and Jack could've sworn he could still hear him when he got to his tent. Jason looked over and frowned, making a swirly motion with his finger as he pointed at the beer.

"Where the hell's mine?" Jason's finger slowed. "What?"

Jack's laughter worsened. "Nothing," he managed, bending over to laugh.

It was Jason's turn to admire the view and he sighed in the same way Jack had. Without waiting for Jack to get over himself, he asked, "Well?"

Jack pointed two fingers in Daniel's direction. "Daniel said, and I quote, 'send Jace over to get his', unquote."

Jason snorted. "Oh, he's doing that, is he?"

"In spades, Jace. He's in a seriously dangerous mood. It's the drink names, I think. They're getting to him. He's serving Blue Screws and flirting up a storm."

Jason started laughing. "Is he now?" At the look on Jack's face, he added, "Okay, I just _know_ you didn't leave it alone. What'd you say?"

"I'm saving it for later," Jack replied, taking a swig from his beer.

Jason shook his head. "I'm not. When I get back..." and he pointed at the shellfish and looked at his watch. "They die."

"Good plan. The natives are getting restless. They've been eyeing your crabs."

"Ouch, that was just wrong, Jack," Jason said, making Jack laugh. He made his way through the tables and reached Daniel's bar--then stopped, gawked, and started laughing. "You're seriously twisted."

"What?" Daniel asked around the lemon wedge in his mouth, then removed it.

"That," Jason pointed. He looked over his shoulder to eye Jack across the lawn and sniggered again.

"What's he up to?"

"Bad puns," Jason answered, ending the laugh with a sigh. Pointing at the bar top, he gave Daniel a dirty look. "And you've been flirting, I hear."

Daniel tossed the lemon wedge at him, hitting Jason in the chest. Jason caught it deftly and tossed it back.

Daniel grinned at him and was about to say something dirty when he saw Cassie and her friends heading over. He cleared his throat. "Remember that crush thing?" he asked, looked to Jason's left.

Jason turned his head slowly and a deep groan escaped his throat. He looked back at Daniel. "Shit. Help me, please?"

"Coward."

"Yes, I am. Help me."

"Fine, ya wuss," Daniel whispered as the girls got closer. "Get over here, be my co-bartender."

Jason moved behind the bar and grabbed a glass out of the strainer and tore a paper towel off the rack behind them. "And do what?"

Daniel smiled evilly. "Flirt."

Jason stared at him, mouth open. "I am _not_ flirting with girls, underage or otherwise."

"Jason, _they_ will be the ones flirting. You can't help it if you smile back, now can you?"

Jason rolled his eyes. "Jesus, Jack was right. You're dangerous."

"You're just finding this out now?"

"No, I actually knew it back when we were just friends and I tied you to that gurney in the infirmary."

"And I have yet to pay you back for that."

Jason sniggered. "You can try, danger boy."

The filthy comment Daniel was going to make was abruptly swallowed as Cassie, Camilla, and two other girls finally reached the bar.

"Hey, Daniel."

"Cass," Daniel drawled. "Now what non-alcoholic beverage can I mix up for you?"

Cassie beamed while her girlfriends giggled and tried not blush, their cheeks in varying shades of pink as they stared at Daniel and Jason. "I hear you know all sorts of drinks."

"Who told you that?"

"Mom."

Jason started to laugh and Daniel elbowed him. "Okay, so...how about an Afterglow."

"I can't have alchohol."

"It's a real non-alcoholic drink, Cassie."

"Awesome, I want one." Her girlfriends echoed the sentiment.

As Daniel made the drinks, Cassie kept whispering to her girlfriends and looking sidelong at Jason. Giggles kept erupting and Jason leaned over and whispered in Daniel's ear, "Hurry the fuck up or I'm shooting you."

"Later," Daniel said, finished already. He turned, the evil look back in his eyes, and gestured at Jason. "Cherries, please, Jason?"

Jason put on his best false smile and dropped two cherries into each glass and set them on the counter. "There ya go, ladies."

"Thanks, Daniel," Cassie said, then smiled coquettishly at Jason. "Jason."

Jason smiled at her. "You're welcome."

Daniel's fixed a grin on his face, watching as Cassie blushed, smiled shyly and turned away, her girlfriends following as they made their way past the picnic tables. They were whispering and looking over their shoulders. Daniel grinned at him. "This is bad."

Jason raised a brow. "What?"

"Told you."

Jason sighed, growling. "If you don't lay off that goddamned crush thing..." he warned.

Daniel didn't bother to hide his amusement. "Okay, okay, but forewarned is forearmed. And you know, you flirted."

"I did not!" Jason protested. "I only smiled. I wasn't as bad as you."

"You should've winked, Jace. That would have had them blushing up a storm."

Jason rolled his eyes. "Yeah, and Janet's hand upside my head."

"Better than up your--"

"Not going there!" Jason said with a slap across Daniel's ass, making his lover giggle. "Smart ass. Gimme my beer. It's time for me to go kill some decapod crustaceans."

Daniel couldn't help but grin as he reached into the fridge and handed Jason his Guinness. "Here ya go, killer."

"Prepare to receive _your_ little death later, Daniel," Jason said as he walked off.

Daniel smiled at the threat but before he could put too much thought into it, he was suddenly set upon by customers.

.

Jason returned to his cooking tent, shaking his head as Jack looked smugly at him. "He's in a seriously dangerous mood."

"Didn't I already say that?"

"You did. I'm only confirming it."

"Ah."

Jason looked past Jack just in time to see Cassie and her girlfriends marching toward him. "Oh shit." Jack looked over his shoulder. When he looked back at Jason, his grin was positively evil. "Don't you start, Jack," he warned. "I think I have a way of getting rid of them, though."

"Really?"

"Yep."

He bent over and picked a crab out of the tank and set it on his cutting boards. He let go for a second, making sure that anyone looking - i.e., Cassie - could see that the creature was alive. Turning the crab slightly, he lifted his knife, waiting. He could see just beyond his direct vision that Cassie and her friends were getting closer. The moment they were perhaps 20 feet away, Jason plunged the knife in. A collective 'ew' issued from them and the four girls made an about-face.

Jack sniggered. "You're a wickedly cruel man, Jason Coburn."

"I know."

Jack's voice lowered. "Probably why I love you."

"No, but I'll add that to the list."

.

As Hammond filled more bowls with his chili, complete with warnings, he looked to his left as another chopping thud was heard.

Jack looked over at him as he brought out his barbecue brush and a refilled bowl of sauce. "Something, sir?"

"No, just watching you hack at those ribs."

Jack nodded. "Honing skills, sir."

"Sure, Jack," Hammond groaned.

Jack looked to his left, watching as Jason served one of the crabs to Major Pierce, grinning as the obvious crab joke was made. Jason had been on his feet for three and a half hours now and didn't _seem_ to be in pain but Jack knew he would be. This was the most time on his feet since they'd returned from that insufferable planet. It hadn't excaped Janet's notice, either, and she had walked over a few times to check on him. It seemed her watchful eye never let up. Jack wondered if her 'extra' attention was on purpose, egging on the rumors, but decided it wasn't. Janet was simply doing her job - as doctor and friend.

Taking a page from Janet's book, he stepped over. "How're your legs?"

Jason passed him a bland look, though the light behind his eyes was anything but. "They're _fine_ , Jack. Wish you and Janet would quit hovering," he said as he passed Pierce a lobster as well.

"Just doing my job," Jack said, meaning more than the obvious C.O. business.

Pierce grinned tightly with concern. "Don't be too hard on him, Jace. Those were nasty wounds."

Jason sighed. "Don't you start, Aaron."

"I'm just sayin'," Jack told him, sending a thank you look at Pierce. Their 'hovering' unfortunately alerted Janet, who appeared at Jason's left.

"Everything okay?" she asked, keeping her voice down.

"Janet, I'm fine!" he said, using more heat than he'd intended and sent her a quick apology. "Seriously, Jan, I'm fine, but if you don't stop worrying, I'm gonna get a little pissed."

"It's my job to worry."

"It's not your job today so just stop it." He served a crab to the man next to Pierce and another one to the woman next to him.

"Honestly, Jason, just let me worry."

"No, I don't need you hovering. I'm fine and I'm getting even better."

"Just tell me if you're feeling tired--"

"Christ, were you a pit bull in another life? Enough already."

"And what were you? A martyr? I'll worry whether you like it or not so just deal with it."

Their 'argument' wasn't loud or grating, but despite the Sam Cooke music that filtered from Hammond's stereo system their voices carried. Even thirty yards away, Daniel could hear them. He looked over, concern in his eyes until he realized that nothing was wrong. They were just being themselves, and each other's friend. It was then that Daniel noticed that the 'couple' had drawn a little attention. To his right, from two women standing in line as he quickly made drinks, he heard them whispering.

"Think that's their first fight?"

"No, they've probably had ones in private."

"They look good together, don't they?"

"Yeah, but shhhhh. Just hope they don't get into trouble."

"Mum's the word."

When they came up and asked for two Colorado Coolaids, Daniel had to refrain from telling them that Jason really wasn't Janet's type. But he did admit to himself that appearance-wise, Jason and Janet made an attractive couple.

"So, Dr. Jackson," the first woman, Sergeant Lue Kapinsky, began, "how do you like your best friend dating your doctor?"

"They look good together, don't they?" asked the second woman, Sergeant Greta Freemeyer.

With a serious expression, Daniel said, "One, those are just rumors. Two, Janet's one of my closest friends and _if_ they were together, they'd have to keep it secret to protect Janet's medical reputation."

"Of course, of course," they said, sounding apologetic.

Daniel quickly finished their drinks and sent them off before he succumbed to the urge to tell them to mind their own damned business. The next person in line was Maddy. No one else was behind him.

"That was pretty good, Daniel."

"Thanks." Daniel looked across the tables to Jason and Janet. "The rumors about them are okay, and I don't mind nudging them in the right direction, but God, I hate that gossip. Pisses me off."

"I know, but even that sort of answer you gave them only added fuel to the fire."

"Yeah, I know. The more you deny a rumor, the more people think that it's true. I'll support the rumors to a point, protecting him for a long as I can."

"As will I."

Daniel gave him a grateful smile. "Thanks."

"He was my friend for a long time, Daniel. I understand."

Daniel nodded, but when Maddy gave him a careful look, he frowned. "What?"

"The two of you are more than just friends... aren't you?"

Without a beat, Daniel asked, "So, what'll you have, Maddy?"

Maddy smiled, liking the way he avoided answering. He didn't press. "Well, I hate to ask this but..."

Daniel grinned. "Don't tell me. A filthy name?"

"Not...exactly. It's just embarrassing."

Daniel made a motion with two fingers. "Let's hear it."

Maddy hesitated, then leaned over the bar, resting his forearms. The action wasn't lost on Daniel, either. It was highly suggestive. "I'd like to have Sex with the Bartender."

Daniel grinned evilly as he watched Maddy's ears redden. "Aren't you a girl watcher, Maddy?" When Maddy cleared his throat and started to rebuff, Daniel snickered. "It's okay, Maddy. Who put you up to it?" Maddy thumbed in the direction of the three men at one of the picnic tables. The rest of SG-3. "Good thing they didn't dare you to come ask me for _Wild_ Sex with the Bartender."

Maddy snorted softly as Daniel grabbed the coconut rum and other ingredients and made up the drink. Finished, he handed it to Maddy with a devious smile. "Tell them that I dare each of them to come ask me for a Screaming Multiple Orgasm."

Maddy returned the evil grin. "I'll order them to do it."

"No, takes the fun out. Dare them."

Maddy agreed. Having a break from the throng of people, Daniel watched as Maddy went to his table, sat, and put the dare to them. All three teammates got up from the table with obvious hesitation, and _slowly_ made their way over.

Sergeant Graham tried to get out of it by asking, "What's in a Screaming Multiple Orgasm?"

Daniel told him.

"Then I'll have one of those."

"Wuss," Lieutenant Scott told him. "Daniel, I'll have a..." He was nudged and Daniel had a feeling they were told what to say. "Um, one of your..." He cleared his throat. "One of your Screaming Multiple Orgasms," he finished in a rush.

"Certainly. Unless you'd prefer Blue Balls?" Daniel replied.

Scott coughed. "That's not a drink is it?"

Daniel smiled.

"Okay, well, just give me that... first thing."

Sergeant Jones sniggered and Scott hit him. "Your turn."

"Um..." Jones appeared to be thinking about it.

"What would you like, Greg?" Daniel asked, grinning fiendishly.

After giving his teammates a look, and noticing Maddy nearby, listening, he gave Daniel a long look, then boldly leaned on the counter. "I'll have a Long Slow Screw Against the Wall."

"You want that with or without an Orgasm?" Daniel asked, anteing up the tease.

"Without, thanks," Jones growled, blushing and backing off as the others started laughing.

After they left, Daniel found himself strangely turned on by that entire exchange.

.

By two thirty, the air was filled with the smell of hamburgers and spareribs and the sound of jokes and laughter. The afternoon became warmer than they'd thought, but it was lazy and fun. Daniel took a break from the bar and locked it up, leaving only the tubs of beer and the bowls of punch. A few containers of drinking water were brought out, as well as Hammond's famous lemonade.

Sitting at one of the tables nearest the cooking tents, Jack wiped his mouth with the napkin and nudged Daniel with his foot. "Daniel, we gotta take care of something. Jace, stay right here, don't go anywhere."

Curious, Jason did as asked, but called out after them as the two went for the house. "Okay, but you guys better not be talking shop."

"No shop talk, promise," Daniel threw back over his shoulder.

Jason would have cracked open another crab but he was nearly full. He hadn't seen any desserts laid out so whatever it was that Hammond had stashed in the house, he'd wait for. Unless that's what Daniel and Jack went in to get.

Jason looked down at his watch and it was only then that the date actually sunk in. He groaned a sound of disgust. Today was August 19th. Tomorrow, his birthday. 41 years old. 41. It wasn't old but he simply couldn't grasp the fact that _he_ was that age. It sounded weird. In a week or three, he'd be used to it, but now...it sounded weird. 40 had seemed like the number of infinity, as if that would give him some sort of measure of immortality, a milestone that would never end. But time wound around and here it was, a year later. No infinity, no immortality.

Jason snorted, wondering where he got these silly ideas from sometimes. He looked across the table and found Sam, Janet, and Teal'c trying _not_ to look at him. He frowned.

"What?"

"Do you know what the date is, Jason?" Sam asked.

"Uh, yeah. I just realized. Please, feel free to refrain from the usual cr--"

"Hi, Jason!" Cassie said, plopping down on the bench next to him.

"Hey," he answered back. Did that sound incredibly lame or what? Jason had no clue how to relate to Cassie. If only she would just hurry up and find the next guy to moon over. He knew there'd be one. Or he hoped. He gave her a smile he just knew looked pained and uncomfortable.

"What's the matter?" Cassie asked.

"Nothing."

"He just remembered that he turns 41 tomorrow," Janet told her.

Cassie's eyes widened and Jason nodded. "Yes, Cassie. 41. I'm an old, old man." That should dissuade her. It didn't.

"Not _that_ old," she answered, drawing out the words as if she were testing their weight.

Or their truthfulness? Jason smiled. It _had_ worked. He could see the doubt accumulating in her eyes. Just as he was about to start in with that horrid thing that teens hated, _You know, when I was your age..._ , Jason heard a bit of commotion coming from the house. He looked over and Daniel, Jack, Alex, Al, Connor, Cari, and General Hammond were slowly moving toward the empty end of the table he sat at, carrying something awfully large. Three feet square if he was any judge. The group set the item down.

A cake. Wow. Someone's birthday cake? Weird. He looked around, trying to find the person whose birthday was the day before his own. He couldn't tell who it was as no one was giving anything away. He couldn't see the writing on the cake, but he saw the candles, which Daniel and Jack began lighting. The glow sort of set the cake's decorations off. Butter cream frosting if that pale creamy color was anything to go by, and there were _chocolate_ roses decorating the top with leaves and scrolling lines like stems that draped over the sides. Very artistic.

He didn't bother to stand up to look at what was written on the cake because frankly, he was tired. Or rather, his thighs were sore. He really hated it when Janet was right. He really did.

As his lovers lit the cake, Jason found himself absently counting. They were almost done. 38...39...40...41.

41?

Everyone was suddenly looking at him and he cringed. _Oh shit._ Then that stupid song started up. He tried to take it gamely, trying not to cringe even more. Then there was clapping and Daniel and Jack were moving over to him, framing him as they guided him to his feet. Daniel also shoved Jason's cane in his hand, his eyes telling Jason that he hadn't fooled him. Jason sent him a look of gratitude...and a promise to thank him later.

Fortunately, no one asked for a speech from the 'birthday boy' as Jason went over to blow out the candles. However, Hammond surprised him by giving one himself.

"I know that this last year hasn't been easy on you, Major. Not that it's been easy on any of us, but I believe it's been the hardest on you and you've endured it all with a grace that most of us would be hard-pressed to emulate. I can't give you a medal for it, though I've tried. Instead, this is the best I could do. Happy Birthday."

Shocked, Jason shook his boss' hand as clapping deafened his ears. And goddamn it to hell if he didn't actually blush. He really, really hated himself right now. Jack's hand suddenly appeared at the nape of his neck, calming him, and the blush receded as quickly as it had begun. He sighed, telling himself to thank Jack later, too.

"As you said, sir, we've all had a hard year. I don't believe I did _anything_ gracefully, but I'll take your word for it and say thank you very, very much." He let go of Hammond's hand as the man clapped him on the shoulder.

"Not a problem, son. Now blow out the candles."

Jason grinned, leaned over, took a long breath and blew out the candles. More clapping and Tessa appeared at his side, asking him where to start the cutting. He pointed to the corner. Janet's hands were also on his shoulders, gently pushing Jason to sit down on the bench, which he did gladly. She whispered in his ear.

"I think you need to sit out the rest of the day, Jason."

He kept himself from wincing and looked over his shoulder. "I have more cooking to do, Jan."

"I'll take care of it, Jason," Cari told him. He suddenly realized that there were more than a few looks of concern and though he appreciated it, he wanted them to go away, to pretend that everything was just fine.

His friends seemed to get the message rather quickly, however, and they sat down around him, chatting about who was going to see _Return of the King_ in the theatres in December, and then the inevitable talk about football and the upcoming regular season. Jason finally took a look at his cake and realized it was marbled, chocolate and white. Though he loved lemon, this was his next favorite kind. As he took a bite, making a satisfied sound that the frosting was exactly what he thought, he was startled when Cassie plopped down beside him.

"I didn't get you a present," she said, looking dejected, picking at her slice of cake.

"S'okay," he said, looking across at Janet and answering before she could. "Wanna know a secret?"

"What?"

"I don't like presents."

She looked at him in surprise. "Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"How come?"

"Because they're mostly lame things people get you when they think they _should_. I appreciate the gifts that actually mean something, you know?"

"I never thought of it like that," she said, taking a bite.

He shrugged. "I always have. You know how there's that thing where stores will have a return policy, just in case the gift you bought someone sucked?"

"Yeah..."

"Ever wonder why those gifts sucked?"

"Yeah..."

"Well, if you're going to give a gift, it should always be given to someone you know well, so you can accurately guess what they'd like. Otherwise, it's a complete waste of time, effort and money."

"That's a sort of a depressing attitude. I like giving gifts."

Jason grinned. "Nothing whatsoever wrong with that, Cassie." He glanced over and caught Janet smiling at the two of them.

"So you don't get gifts ever?" Cassie asked then.

"I still do, but the people who _know_ me know better. I've been known to throw gifts away."

"Away?"

"Not from them but from people who don't know me but think they should give presents."

"Oh. What about cards?"

"I get them, I appreciate them, and then...I recycle them. I don't keep them."

"That's not true. I gave him a card and he kept it," Daniel told them.

"That was different, Daniel. You're my best friend and you made that card. It was elegant and very nice." He looked at Cassie and found her grinning at him smugly. "Okay, I save some cards. Like his. It's still on the wall in my office."

Cassie looked around. "I guess word got around about the gift thing though because I don't see any presents."

Jason gave her a grin and pointed at the cake. "The cake is a gift, and very good example of what I mean."

Cassie thought about that, then nodded. "So...what things do you like?" she persisted.

He shook his head. "Don't get me a gift, Cassie. It's so not necessary and totally okay that you don't."

"Are you sure?"

"Quite sure."

She was reluctant, but she finally accepted it. Her girlfriends soon distracted her and she wished him a happy birthday, gave him a bold kiss on the cheek, then ran off in search of something fun that her girlfriends had thought up. Jason looked over at Janet.

"Is it safe to blush now?"

Janet snorted. "I think so."

He let out a slow breath, color rising in his cheeks. "Good. Now, do me a favor and tell her that I've a girlfriend or...or something. Better yet, tell her I'm a monk...or that you and I are dating. _That_ will probably gross her out and she'll move on."

" _Are_ you dating?" General Hammond asked as he sat down.

Jason damn near choked and everyone at the table, except Daniel, froze. Daniel was too busy trying not to laugh himself into hysterics.

"No, sir," Jason and Janet said together.

"Are you sure that's your answer?" Hammond prodded.

"Sir, it's a convenient rumor, nothing more," Jason told him. "I'm not dating, don't have a girlfriend, so you know how the rumor mill goes when that happens."

Hammond nodded. "Just keep in mind to make sure that things stay discreet, Major."

"Yes, sir," Jason replied, a tiny bit embarrassed. Hammond suddenly surprised him by changing the subject, engaging Jason in a conversation about art, which Jason appreciated and found himself completely lost in.

Daniel and Jack finished their cake, patted Jason on the back, and walked over to Jack's cooking tent. Daniel folded his arms and leaned against the counter as he watched Jack baste the ribs with sauce. "Jack?"

"What?"

"I forgot what the date was until yesterday morning."

Jack stared at him. "Me, too. Who'd you call to get that cake done so fast?"

"It was the General. I asked him who the best cake makers were in town and who could get one done for today. I so didn't want to go buy a pre-made one...even if Jason does like those lemon ones the local bakery makes every week."

"That would've been just fine, Daniel."

"Yeah, but giving Jason a small cake at an outing like this seemed too exclusionary, so..."

"Good thinking."

"Anyway, it was Hammond that arranged it. I'm glad Jason likes the cake, and despite his attitude about gifts, I feel like shit for not getting him one."

"You know how he is anyway."

"Yeah, but still."

"I know. I want to get him something, too." He paused a moment as he thought about it. "I know. After he heals, let's take him to Yosemite. It's not that far away and it's been a while since we did any repelling that wasn't work-related."

"He'd really like that, Jack," Daniel smiled. "Let's hope that our next missions don't get in the way of that."

"From your lips, Daniel."

 

 

End


End file.
